Running in the Spirit

As I turn the corner, I begin to feel the weight of every step.  Sure, I had done good preparation: planned the route, stretched and even warmed-up.  It is still here in the beginning steps that I can feel the extra challenge of the warmer days, the fatigue from yesterday, and my own body working to regain a sense of rhythm with my stride and breathing that would work for today’s run.  Still, I can’t help but think, “Why am I doing this?”  This doesn’t feel good, it would be easier and so much nicer to just stroll.  I try to look at the things around me to take my mind away from the strain I feel, but the cheap trick doesn’t work and I am even more conscious of my feet pounding on the pavement.  So I then turn to focusing on the very things I am uncomfortable with: my breathing, how I am placing my stride, and how can I do this easier.  Sure, there is a small desire to simply stop, but that is beginning to give way to the run itself.  No longer feeling as though I am working against myself, I begin to feel the ‘movement’ of the run – where I am going and how I am doing.  The strain is giving way to a feeling of familiarity and stamina, almost as if to say, “I can do this.”

To all you better athletes out there, you graceful runners, enjoy your gifts.  Truth be told, I’m envious, as I wish I didn’t need to think so much about what I do and how I do it; but on the other hand, this is who I am, and it makes the end of the run perhaps that much more satisfying.  Despite my difficulty, feeling awkward and initial strain, I can do this – even improving and getting stronger. 

Funny, how a single variable, like a warmer temperature, to a familiar routine can make such a difference—It’s almost as if I have to learn how to run altogether differently.  What worked before now needs to be modified.  And yet, should I really be surprised by this?  Isn’t that how life is—always changing and each of us ever adapting to that change?  I know this intellectually, and yet it comes home in a very powerful way every time I begin a run.  This is not the same journey I had yesterday, even though the course is the same, there are new variables, changes to be adapted to.

As difficult as it is to apply this concept to my own self-discipline of exercise, I believe that we are in the midst of experiencing the difficulty of applying the concept of change and adaptation to the Church – on all levels!  Though we can clearly recognize that circumstances have changed, there are new variables and even different contexts for our ministry and how we live into our ministry, there is a great reluctance to adapt to those new variables, to modify what, where, and how we share ministry.  Again, we can see this in every level of the Church—from St. John’s, to the diocese, to the national Church and even the Anglican Communion—just how incredibly difficult it seems to be to accept and embrace the need to change.  Yet adapt we must if we are to live!

More than a lesson learned while exercising, the concept of adapting is, like it or not, what we live with everyday.  So why is the Church so seemingly unable or unwilling to embrace it?  It is my hope that with our Strategic Development Planning Process, we will be able to share with the wider Church a model of how to not only embrace the concept of adapting, but provide an example of how to live into this fundamental work gracefully, including as many people and perspectives as possible, so that this truly feels like a collective and collaborative process. 

This involves, YOU!  As we move into August, I ask you to carefully and prayerfully consider – discern – what kind of role God is asking you to play in our work and ministry in this coming year.  Notice, I didn’t ask if you’ll play a role, but simply what kind of role, for this work will take all of us.  Please consider in these next couple of weeks if God is calling you to serve on the Vision Committee.  Our plan calls for ‘reconstituting’ our current Vision Committee – evolving the team to be 30+ people.  The Vision Committee, in addition to our once-a-month community Sundays (generally the second Sunday of each month) would also meet in between sessions on the third Wednesday evening of each month from 7pm—9pm.  The role for the members of the Vision Committee is to be the principal ‘explorers’ in our formation, vision, and planning process.  This includes researching, visiting other spaces, and assimilating the learning from the Community Sunday sessions, as well as developing and refining the plan for the parish.  Please consider this to be an open invitation to YOU, as an active member, willing to make a commitment for a year (not missing more than two sessions) to consider being a part of this vital collaborative team.  If this sounds like something God is asking you to help with, please contact me before August 20^th by email at darrenelin@eastmich.org or by calling the parish at 793-9575.

Like running, believe me, it’s worth it, and we can do it gracefully!

Darren Elin+