A Community of Discernment
At the beginning of April, I got to share a bit of the story of the community where I pastor, Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church, at the NEXT Church National Gathering. Here is a video link to my presentation.
Sabbatical Shift: Cocooning
I recently read that a caterpillar in a cocoon essentially
turns to mush. Its body becomes soup as its frame is reconstructed inside the
safety of its drawn-in walls.
I
don’t have some lofty vision of being reconstructed or growing wings or any
such nonsense, but I do feel cocooned, cocooning, cocoonish, a compulsion to cocoon. I find myself wanting to draw back,
draw in, hunker down in quiet. I am dissolving in a puddle of tired
contendedness, moving slowly through the world.
My heart beats calm and steady most of the time, which feels noticeable; the rushes of adrenaline and anxiety, excitement and anticipation, worry and work juggling are far from me, like a dream. Like someone else’s life. I hear friends and colleagues in ministry talking about leading meetings and preparing sermons, and I feel aghast. My first, uncensored thought is, “I could NEVER do that!” – and I find myself momentarily gazing at them with admiration and awe, even though just four weeks ago I was doin…
My heart beats calm and steady most of the time, which feels noticeable; the rushes of adrenaline and anxiety, excitement and anticipation, worry and work juggling are far from me, like a dream. Like someone else’s life. I hear friends and colleagues in ministry talking about leading meetings and preparing sermons, and I feel aghast. My first, uncensored thought is, “I could NEVER do that!” – and I find myself momentarily gazing at them with admiration and awe, even though just four weeks ago I was doin…
