Pastor's Message

April 2006

We continue in the Easter Season for the four Sunday’s in May. An ancient tradition replaces the Hebrew scriptures for Easter readings from the Acts of the Apostles. The sections from Acts have two themes: the early preaching and the mission beyond Judaism and Palestine. This early preaching, or kerygma, focuses on what is the primary message of the Gospel, “what was handed on.” On the fifth, sixth and seventh Sundays of Easter, Acts show us that the Spirit chooses people beyond Judaism: Philip of Ethiopia, Cornelius, and the choice of Matthias.

The readings immerse us in our relationships with one another. That relationship is based in love and is familial: we are brothers and sisters to one another. In any other context these sentiments seem reasonable, but in the context of the resurrection more is being said about the destiny of the new humanity. The baptism at Easter constitutes a new humanity in which all of the old divisions no longer hold true. It means more than simply being nice to one another. The risen body of Christ manifest in the community is the first gift of the resurrection and the beginning of a new age. So we must hear these texts with resurrection ears.

The gospel passages for the Easter season are about Jesus’ risen life and relationship with the community. The greeting, “Peace be with you,” is given and is used almost exclusively in the scriptures for a post-resurrection greeting on the lips of Jesus. Peace in this context is more than a lack of conflict; it represents the wholeness achieved in spite of conflict. Jesus identifies himself and the risen life with peace.

The greeting of peace occurs within an appearance before the assembled disciples. That appearance is part of a tradition of appearances structured with similar content. We should note the form and content. The resurrection appearance is always at Jesus’ initiative. He wills it, not the disciples. It is met by both confusion and recognition. Recognition often comes through familiar signs such as the breaking of bread or eating. Recognition is accompanied by acknowledgement of Jesus’ lordship and often an act of worship such as bowing low. That appearance also includes a mission given by Jesus, the promise of the Spirit, and a pledge of remaining with the community. Taken together, the appearances represent Jesus’ post-resurrection life, and they constitute belief that extends to us, since we too live in the post-resurrection era.

In the context of our life at St. Paul’s we are looking for discernment and the presence of the resurrected Christ in our worship life and in our soon to begin Search Process. This month the Self-Study Committee, the Search Committee and some of the Staff will gather in a Retreat on May 13th to explore the life we share in ministry. Our focus will be on the gift of personality, the individual way in which we live in the world and relate to each other. We will seek discernment about how to strengthen our bonds of peace in the work of church leadership. We will then consider the various pastoral styles of leadership that arise out of the basic personalities that pastors inhabit. This is just a part of the discernment process as the Self-Study Committee plans to hand over its work to the Search Committee in June. We seek the prayers of the whole congregation as this important process continues to unfold and as we seek the presence of the risen Christ in our movement forward.

Pastor Cluley