Resiliency

Resiliency is about not only bouncing back but also about hardiness, sustainability, and the ability to grow and develop under trying circumstances.

One of the topics I regularly tune into around organizational theory is resiliency. Resiliency is about not only bouncing back but also about hardiness, sustainability, and the ability to grow and develop under trying circumstances. In the conflict resolution work that I do, I often have to remind churches that conflict is normal and natural and a sign of normal growth and development.

One organizational theorist I regularly read says that healthy organizations are diverse on their outer edges, allowing for people to plug in at different places. Healthy organizations are also uniform and cogent at their core. People know what the deep values are of the organization, can repeat those values, and there is a certain logic surrounding those values and how they are acted upon.

Almost all churches I work with want to grow numerically. But leaders often put a ceiling on that growth by insisting that all that goes on at the church is known and controlled by them. They bristle fearing that the intimacy they have at the church will be disrupted by work or a ministry or an offering is not something they can control. Anxiety and fear build until the energy is expelled and the crisis averted.

In mid-September I will be working with a church that was ready to take off and excited about the new ministries and direction. That is, until all of that energy and excitement meant that the church was really going to change. So my job will be to go in and help them to observe themselves, hold up a mirror to ask them what their true values are and where they really want to go.

We have a number of offerings, changes, and possibilities coming this fall. I want to make sure that nobody believes they have to attend to all of them or be a part of every single thing for the church to be healthy. When a church can know that they are doing God’s work over here, with my participation, and God’s work is also being done over there, without my participation, the congregation has a chance to flourish.

As you look over the many offerings for this fall, I hope you will revel at all the different possibilities found at our church without the anxiety and fear that something might be amiss. I do object meditation on the regular to manage my own fear and anxiety that the world is going to heck in a handbasket unless I do this or this or this. On the contrary, Sabbath teaches that when I rest and release, give up my need for control, God is often spotted working outside of me. And my faith returns.

Worship

On the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, between Sturgeon Moon and Corn Moon (Sunday, September 5th), we will celebrate worship in the narthex. In keeping with the recent history of our church, this will be a more informal service. The sermon will come from you! That’s right, I said it.

I want us to think about the proverbs, stories, or parables that have held meaning for our lives. Deep wisdom can often be found by holding two opposing things together. So we may have found that one proverb holds wisdom for us in a given moment in time. I will share mine. I’ll look forward to having you share yours. In that way, we will teach other and continue to weave together a cord that cannot be quickly broken.