A year ago I was posting about how excited I was to be starting a new phase of the SFC adventure with the development of the Southeast Portland Parish, a creative collaboration between the Sellwood Faith Community and Trinity United Methodist Church. I was delighted to be finally working with my friend Amanda who I had gotten to dream with for several years. Sadly our working partnership was problematic and she left the Parish at the end of October last year. I’m not perfect, as anyone who knows me can tell you, and there are definitely things I would do differently if given the chance. I have learned from the difficulty of seeing a trusted friend turn into a colleague and then a stranger. It was a painful season, so I was fairly apprehensive to begin working with a new partner in ministry this year, but sometimes, despite the fear, you have to get back on the ride.
I met Jayde last year when she came to town for a visit. My supervising area pastor, known as a District Superintendent in Methodistese, had talked to Jayde and thought we’d be a good fit. By the time we met at the coffeeshop last spring I had learned some things about myself, my expectations for my colleagues, my own work style, some of my blind spots (which even though I know are there are still blind), and I laid it all out, warts and all for Jayde. I might have gone a bit overboard in being as clear with her as possible about who I am, how I work, and what I value in a ministry partner. I managed not to scare her off and before long she was meeting with SPRC and being formally assigned to the Parish.
I was excited about working with her, learning from her, and seeing how God was unfolding the vision of the Parish through her gifts and graces and then I got scared. What if it didn’t work out and I got a reputation as the WORST SENIOR PASTOR EVER? What if everyone liked her more than me? What if she didn’t get the vision and became a detour for the ministry?
I was away on leave when Jayde started. It was the best thing. She got to know the people of the Parish on her own terms and they got to know her. And then I came back. It’s only week 2, and yet I can’t help but be excited once again. Jayde understands the vision. She has fabulous ideas. She is honest, gifted, and a hard worker I know the Parish is already better for having her be a part of God’s work here. I’m glad I said yes, and got back on this ride, but the thing is I don’t know what will happen. Maybe I am the worst senior pastor ever and Jayde will one day have to start a support group for people who have worked with me. Maybe the people of the Parish will like her better because she is awesome and thoughtful and writes fabulous thank you cards. And maybe our visions will diverge one day and we will wind up on that detour. But you know what? It’s worth the risk. Because maybe, just maybe, together with Jeff and Laura and all the people of this place we will be caught up in the Holy Spirit and something incredible and wondrous will happen here.
This is our grand experiment, this faith community, and here we are in year 6. We got here by trying crazy things and by saying yes to something new after failure. We’ve been up high and come whooshing down. We thought we were on a straight track when suddenly the way curved. And all along, through the good parts and the low parts, God has been with us, riding there in the cart laughing and hollering and assuring us the ride was worth it.
I’m so grateful to get to do this work, to continue learning, and to work with people who challenge and inspire me to ride the ride again.
-Eilidh
Recent Comments