Long day at church today… because of the Annual Conglomeration’s meeting for budgetary and other administrative Issues.  In other words, CHPC experienced an annual 2 hour recap of last year and the challenges facing next year.  It was brutal (not as brutal as the session meeting on Wednesday) but it was also amazing to see people committed to the church speak up about their commitment.  The best part in fact of the meeting was that people seemed unified about mission and about direction, something that you don’t always see in a church, no matter what the size.  It looks like we are setting goals this year for membership, and I think we might just make them, to be honest.  The goal the pastor set was a 25% increase in membership, a steep feat for anyone, but then again 2 people approached me after church today and indicated that they want to join, so it can’t be that bad, can it?

Really it all comes down to discernment I guess, if you think about it.  This church has a mission that it is so clear and vocal about—but somehow the mission doesn’t always translate to action.  And I guess thats the real doozy, isn’t it?  I think one of the things I have really begun to realize about church ministry is that the buildup to action is the biggest roadblock to change.   Because it’s so easy to talk, and really it is easy to act too–but so often we tell ourselves that action is hard, that it will take too much out of us, that perhaps it will be a waste of resources.  The risk of failing makes action all but impossible.

Recognizing that, and then realizing how little it requires of us to actually act on our words, is the situation I find myself in this afternoon as I reflect on Clarendon Hill.  We have an amazing opportunity to give to the community of God, to the community of Somerville.  What we need is the faith to do it, or perhaps otherwise stated the courage to act on our professed faith.  I think it will only seem difficult until we do it.  And that’s where I am now.  I am trying to figure out how I, as an intern, can help this church have courage to act.  I don’t think its something I can accomplish alone, but if I can figure out how God is calling me to help it along, that’s a start, right?