Dear Fellow Travelers,
Growing up, I went through a phase where I wanted
to be a travel agent when I grew up. In
the lectionary cycle Jesus is often traveling during the summer and fall. And while it’s not Lent, we’re coming again
to the part of the gospel stories where Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to
meet with death, just as in the very next weeks our stories will dramatically
shift gears and return to the annual pilgrimage toward Bethlehem, where the
announcement of Jesus’ birth will initiate the cycle toward the cross and
Easter. Sometimes, I feel like there
should be a brief moment when all the stories and timelines come together and
touch …except they don’t, really.
As you open this month’s newsletter, I’m living
life like a travel agent, it seems! I’m
in the middle of a series of travels that will carry me far and near, as a part
of my work both as your pastor and as a part of the larger church. As you’re reading this, I’ll just have been
to El Paso, Texas and the Synod of the Sun’s fall assembly. (Synods are made up of presbyteries in a
region; ours covers 11 presbyteries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and
Texas). A part of my experience will be
witnessing what’s happening at the border of the United States and Mexico these
days.
In the second week of November I’m traveling to
Louisville, Kentucky where the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
is, to meet with mid-council leaders from across the whole church (leaders and
stated clerks for our 16 Synods and 166 presbyteries). We’ll be learning about and discussing recent
structural changes within our denomination’s agencies and meeting new
denominational staff in new staff roles.
In the third week of November I’m gathering with other
clergy, preachers, and worship leaders in our Presbytery of the Pines for a retreat
at Lake DeGray. It will be a chance to
spend time with colleagues and new leaders and hopefully rebuild in-person
relationships that were severed during COVID and from a number of pastoral
changes.
But, this is also a time of year that sees many
of us traveling or receiving travelers who come to spend holiday times with
us. It matches with the upcoming
Christmas narrative that finds Mary traveling to visit a cousin, and Mary and
Joseph returning to family roots in Bethlehem, and Mary and Joseph and a baby
Jesus seeking safe-keeping in Egypt, and God—traveling across time and space to
meet us in an infant who grows up to change the world and through his life and
ministry, changes us, and through us, transforms the world.
I am a travel agent, of sorts! In the bible’s journeys or our journeys,
either in travels on the road or opening our doors to travelers, we’re allowed to
see the world as it is, but also, imagine how it should be, instead. There’s room to grow and be changed and for
us to become the transformation we’re seeking.
As Ferris Buehler reminded us, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a
while, you could miss it." Looking
up, and noticing others, can be a wonderful opportunity to become reacquainted
with Jesus.
May the coming days of celebration renew your
hope, and give you every opportunity to see the beloved of God. We travel, because Jesus
travels. And, Jesus is coming. Again.
We will see him. Again. Be ready.
Take notice. Share the news!
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