What’s Going on in the Parish

Editorials

Editorial

"A certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab...."

Thus begins the book of Ruth, in the land of Moab, now present day Jordan. Having just come back from this fascinating country I find it almost spine-chilling to think that I maybe walked along those same paths that Ruth and Naomi trod all those years ago. Yet the barrenness of the mountains and the heat of the desert have not changed since then and neither, in many ways, has the life of the Bedouin tribes one sees there, still ambling along on camels and donkeys. Here, time seems to have passed them by: seeing their tents and their herds of sheep and goats is like a scene from the Old Testament.

What a stark contrast to our frenetic way of life in the western world with all the latest technology! How nice not to have to worry about paying the mortgage or to spend hours in front of the wardrobe wondering what to wear, or worrying about whether we'll get that job we applied for.

Of course it would be almost impossible for us to adapt our way of life to theirs, although it might well be more trouble free. The more possessions we have the more problems we accumulate and the more hectic life becomes trying to keep up with everyone else. Getting rid of clutter is said to be liberating, but, if put to the test, could we give up even half of what we have in return for a more basic lifestyle? We would probably all come to the same conclusion "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle".

From the Interim Rector

Dear Friends in Christ –

Soon you’ll receive the Search Committee’s questionnaire to which you’ll be asked to give prayerful attention. The information you provide will go around the world to potential rectors and to those who may suggest names to you. The Search Committee will use it to construct a profile of Ascension Parish. It will also construct a profile of an ideal rector.

Few are aware that the two profiles are the same.

Here’s how it so often goes:

The “What We Seek in a Rector” section will be a list of both/ands, something like this:

• We seek one who is fully grounded in prayer yet has a firm grasp of worldly practicalities.
• We seek one who while possessing a keen sense of humor nevertheless manifests a godly gravitas.
• We seek one who while comfortably settled in an utterly orthodox Christian faith is nevertheless wide open to any opinion any of us might voice at any time.
• And so on.

Good luck….

That sort of list portrays a parish more than it portrays any living priest. It reveals a parish that can’t make up its mind and is scared of the kind of conversations that might generate clarity.  That’s not you, though. You’re better than that.

There will also be items about a rector who can and does

• Proclaim the Gospel.
• Loves and knows the Bible and the traditions of the Church. 
• Cares deeply for individuals in need. 
• And is alert to the sufferings of the World.

Do you recognize that that’s you?

Congregations tend to project their own unclaimed, unacknowledged spiritual strengths onto an imaginary wished-for rector.  There is a better way to do it.

This is it: look at all the traits you decide you desire in a new rector and ask yourself some questions: “Who in this congregation is already like that – or could be with encouragement?” “Is there a part of me that is really like that?” “What could I/we do to draw those traits out into the light among us before the new rector is ever contacted?”

If all of you carry something like that sensibility into the next months, you will greatly simplify the Search Committee’s task.  They will simply describe this congregation as it is. Then the “What We Seek….” Section can be quite simple. It would say something like, “We seek a rector who, having read and understood everything we just said about ourselves and God’s work among us, knows what a treasure Ascension is.”

Gray Temple+

THANK YOU FROM FR. TOM

April 12, 2008

Dear beloved people of the Ascension (Munich),

I have now been in Rockville Center, New York for a month and held my first services. Monday will be my first Vestry meeting. I am becoming very immersed in the life of this very vibrant parish. My transition here however, could not have been as good as it has been without the generosity of all of you in Munich. I am still filled with awe and thankfulness for the purse you collected at the end of our ministry together. It has allowed for all sorts of things such as the down payment on an automobile (an environmentally friendly Toyota) and the furnishing of the Rectory. Your generosity, support and love I literally have with me all the time. Please accept again my profound thanks for all that we experienced together as a community and for your wonderful and generous gift a response to those years together.

This brings up another issue however. The Rectory is ready to receive guests even though my personal things are still being held in New York harbor by customs. I was serious when I said you all are welcome. I would appreciate some good notice however and specific dates so that I may work your dates into my calendar. My new email is revtjpp@yahoo.com and the Rectory telephone is: 001-516-608-0003. May we see each other soon.

Blessings in Jesus' Name!

Tom Pellaton+

What’s Going on in the Parish

Vestry Notes (Issue No. 4)

Dear parish members, fellow Christians, friends:

 “Transition” is a word often heard these days in our parish. And once more transition is a reason for an issue of the Vestry Notes (the one you have in hands) turning out to be rather short: With only four days between the Annual General Assembly and the editorial deadline of the IKON, the new Vestry is still in the process of “forming” and consequently there has been hardly any time for discussing a central message for this column.

One thing we do wish to bring across and which we hope you feel as well: It is a great joy to see how we, the whole church community of the Church of the Ascension, have stepped up to grow into a new level of taking care of ourselves, our life together, and the many things we need to do in our transition. The recent Bishop's Retreat has turned out to be a good example of how many in this community strive to get involved, and also enjoy being involved. Some things remain to stabilize, but the really important things are well underway ...  a great Interim Rector welcomed and at work, our Search Committee energized and underway, many small things becoming much more routine, and so on.

Talking about transition: For many of us their time here in Munich and in this parish may be a time of transition. In a way, one may even see our whole life as a period (or a succession of periods of) transition. And yet, it can be both important and rewarding to shift focus a little, to not only work / live / pray for the future but also for the present. To not only see what we can become, but what we are. To not only await with expectation what the Lord will provide, but to feel and marvel at how He, His spirit is at work right now … when we see the sun rise, when we hear some beautiful music  or a baby laugh, when we worship together.

So with all expectation, excitement and anxiety of what is to come, let us in an equally intensive manner participate in, enjoy and cherish this time of transition and every today.

That's it for this occasion. Have a wonderful spring, and – be blessed!

Search Committee

The Search Committee will meet in the library on the following dates,

from 18:45 to 21:30.

14 May 08 11 June 08 09 July 08

28 May 08 25 June 08 21 July 08

Members please mark your calendars and Parishioners please keep the committee in your prayers as they work on the search process.

How often do we meet?

We plan to meet twice monthly and this has already happened several times in the last few weeks.

What have we achieved so far?

In our attempts to fulfil this role we have drawn up plans to tackle all the issues related to this task. Our aim is to set goals of achievement within realistic deadlines and report regularly to the parish as we meet targets. Please be aware that we will communicate to the parish in different ways e.g. through the Sunday bulletin, the IKON, the church website, by email, in public meetings just to name a few.

What guidelines do we have from the Bishop?

There are three phases in the search process.

Phase 1 -Planning

Phase 2 -Searching

Phase 3 -Choosing.

1. We need to provide a Community profile of our location and the history of the Church in Munich. In addition we need a profile of our parish. The bishop led our parish in a retreat on the 12th April to initiate this process.  Our immediate response to this event is to send out a questionnaire to all members of the congregation to supplement this information  and ensure we collect a wide and comprehensive range of views in order to present a balanced and fair picture of our parish in Munich.

Moving on from the Parish profile we need to have a Priest profile and this is another task that is being tackled in the coming weeks.

2. Once we have the profiles together these are vetted by the  Vestry, the Bishop and others before we release an advert and publish information to the congregation and wider world of the church. The search process will involve sifting through the applications from an agreed list of criteria and choosing a sample of around 20 to interview.

3. Once interviews have been conducted and a short list has been made, up to three chosen candidates will be invited to come to Munich to be interviewed .

How long will the process take?

Being realistic and already looking at time spans of particular activities, at least a year. The real and truthful answer is that the process will take as long as is necessary to find a suitable candidate.

How can you support us in our work?

First of all by participating in retreats or filling in the questionnaire but just as importantly by praying for us individually and corporately. In addition we should all be praying for the Vestry who have a key role to play and the new rector even though not yet known by name.  Please make the effort to join the prayer groups which will meet regularly on a Sunday morning before the church service to pray for this exciting and challenging task. Please also remember to pray for the search process and those involved with us when you meet with other members of groups within the church. Prayer changes things and we need to know we are in God's will as we seek to fulfil the very special task we face in our tasking.

Thank you and God Bless

Can you Help ?

A member of the ESPSG (English Speaking Prisoner’s Support Group) who is very active in the Franconia area is in desperate need of an inexpensive car. She depends on her car to drive from prison to prison and cannot afford to replace the one she has now, that is on its last legs, with a new one.  If anyone has an old car to sell can you get in touch with Sue Morris. Rest assured the car will be helping to do God’s work! Thanks.

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