PASTOR’S REPORT 2010-2011

PASTOR’S REPORT 2010-2011

Many of you know that with my Annual Report I try to look toward the future, not at the past. Striving to illuminate the past is not the place on which people in positions of theological leadership should dwell. That, having been said, let’s look ahead.

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Archbishop Desmond Tutu recently had a new book published. Its title attracts immediate attention: God Is Not A Christian: And Other Provocations.

In it Tutu tells the story of a person who is inebriated, who crosses a street to the opposite side, accosts someone walking on that side of the street and asks, “Which way to the other side of the street?” Needless to say, given that this pixilated pedestrian had just crossed the street, it seemed to be a silly question.

The person of whom the question was asked, somewhat nonplused, pointed to the side from where the tipsy traveler had just come and replied, “That side, of course!”

“Strange,” said inebriated pedestrian. “When I was on that side, they said it was this side.”

The point the Archbishop was making (and on which Tutu elaborates) is where the other side of the street really is depends on where the one giving the answer to that question is located right now. Perspective differs with context.

Further, the things that have helped form us give us grounding. Religion is one of the most potent of these formative influences. It helps to determine how and what we understand of reality and how we operate in our own specific context.

Hence, this seems overwhelmingly simple: accidents of birth and geography determine to a very large extent to what faith we belong. The chances are very great that if you were born in Pakistan you are a Muslim or, if you happened to be born in India a Hindu or, if it is Japan, a Shintoist. Needless to say, you are likely to be a Christian if you were born in Italy. The relationship of location to tradition seems obvious.

‘What is the significant fact that can be drawn from this?’ asks Tutu. Perhaps that we should not succumb too easily to the temptation to be exclusive and dogmatic. You could so easily have been an adherent of the faith that you are now denigrating but for the fact that you were born here rather than there.

But the esteemed Archbishop makes a deeper point. Our God, the God we worship, would be severely small if that God was not also the God of Gandhi. God is a God of all people, whether anyone else acknowledges this or not.

Put another way, God does not need our protection. Indeed, it is often said, somewhat in jest, that God created humanity in God’s own image and humanity has returned the compliment, saddling God with our own narrow prejudices and exclusivity, foibles and temperamental quirks.

In short, God remains God, whether God has worshipers or not. God does not need us. We need God.

Tutu is also clear about the Christian position: Christ as unique. The reality of Christ helps us understand a fullness of God.

I want to come back to the point Tutu made: God does not need us. We need God. It seems breathtakingly evident. And yet, there are times we seem to be apathetic about God and about the institution of church.

Indeed, how often have you heard that people just don’t care? Dave Meslin, an artist, an organizer and a self proclaimed “professional rabble-rouser” recently gave a talk on apathy. “How often have you been told,” he asks, “that real substantial change is not possible because people are too selfish, too lazy or too busy to try to make a difference in their community?”

His claim is that people do care but we live in a world which discourages engagement. One of the things Meslin centers on to expand on this idea is a series of ten movies. This is the list: The Matrix, Harry Potter, The Golden Compass, Pokemon, Power Rangers, Sailor Moon, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Alice in Wonderland, The Neverending Story, The Golden Child.

Meslin asks, ‘what do these movies have in common?’ The answer is they all have heros who are chosen. Someone comes up to them tells them they are a part of a prophecy and says, “You have to save the world.” And they go off and save the world with a few people tagging along because they’ve been told to do that. These are hero stories.

This helps Meslin understand why a lot of people have trouble seeing themselves as leaders. The sole hero, he says, does not, in any way, illustrate leadership. It is not an example of leadership. A real heroic effort is a collective effort. Real leadership is about the group, not about the individual.

Additionally, real leadership is an ongoing process. And, unlike movies which tell a slice of a story, real life is an ongoing process. Real leadership does not suddenly start and suddenly end. Further more, real leadership is not very glamorous. It is a day to day to day to day effort which strives to move a group along productive paths. It is a journey.

Last, and perhaps most importantly, real heroism, real leadership is voluntary. As long as we believe that to be a hero someone puts a scratch on your head or tells you that you are part of a prophecy or that you need to save the world, you do not have a choice in the matter. You are designated.

Leadership, he says, is a choice. We enter into leadership by our own volition, uninvited and we work with others to envision what collective dreams are and work with others to help those dreams become a reality.

Pastor and theologian John C. O’Keefe says the same thing in a different way: ‘the church is an organic life form not a Limited Partnership; “Church, LP” is not church. The church is not a company. It is not a social gathering.’

Which brings me back to Desmond Tutu. It goes without saying the Archbishop is right. God does not need us. We need God.

Because of our need, the church becomes pivotal in our life. Why?

In today’s world the church is the only place where are can come together as community to tell, to hold, to share, to listen, to love, to pray, to feed and to teach. The question for us, hence, is this: are we willing to admit our need. Are we willing to commit to God because God both loves us and God calls us to a life where we are to tell, to hold, to share, to listen, to love, to pray, to feed, to teach.

The Rev. Mr. Joseph Connolly
Pastor and Teacher