Ben’s June Letter
Dear Friends in Christ,
I will spend most of this month out of the office. I am excited, I am relieved, I am ready for a break. I hope to return to you later this month with fresh perspectives and new excitement. In the mean time—you are on your own. But that’s a good thing! One of my favorite things about Evergreen is that I can count on you to lead and get things done even when I’m not around. For three Sundays, members of the congregation will preach. On the first Sunday, a member of the congregation will preside at the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, having received training and authorization from the Presbytery to serve in that capacity. Deacons will share that sacrament with home-bound members, and will continue to care and love and serve when I am unable. Fellowship and Christian education will continue without me here. The Earth Care festival will happen—and while I’m sorry to miss it, I am so grateful to know that it can take place with me very far away. Even emergencies—like funerals—will be covered by a person close to the congregation (albeit, one who long ago was ordained and serves a nearby church). I have colleagues who worry that the moment they leave, everything will fall apart. I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am that I don’t share that concern.
We are doing all of this together. Worshipping God isn’t something I do on your behalf, and you don’t outsource all tasks you don’t want to do to me. Congregational life is a group project, worship is a group endeavor, and following Jesus is a group commitment. I love that this is something you already know.
I’ll see you in a few weeks—in the mean time, I know you’ll thrive.
In Christ,
Rev. Ben