Good morning, Nativity!
The Diocese of Southwest Florida has undergone an extensive process to set its vision going forward. They have landed on a “pathway” approach with four pathways identified: Forming Disciples; Developing Leaders; Embracing Differences; and Transforming Communities. More information on these four pathways can be found at https://episcopalswfl.org/about/the-four-pathways/. Bishop Scharf and his staff presented this four-pathway vision at a recent workshop at DaySpring with the intent of inviting us to walk these pathways together, and to prompt the contribution of our unique gifts and talents and ideas to expand God’s ministry.
Since arriving at Nativity six months ago, I have wondered about the vision of Nativity. Nativity does a lot of good stuff that fits into the pathways that the Diocese identified in its visioning. There does not, however, appear to be an underlying coordination and a stated goal of how these activities fit together to make God’s Kingdom present and relevant. Our ministry efforts are often described as “this is what we have always done.”
Starting with the stewardship campaign last fall, I became convinced that Nativity needed to work on a vision. Where have we been, where are we now, and where are we going? This is particularly relevant as I will only be here for seven more years; I face mandatory retirement in 2032. I am not going anywhere anytime soon, God willing. But to successfully build God’s Kingdom, to fulfill the Great Commission (Matt 28:16-20), Nativity needs to develop a vision.
Nativity does not have tens of thousands of dollars to hire a firm to oversee a visioning process like the diocese or our bigger churches, like Redeemer. We will have to do the visioning process with our home-grown talent. I have faith that we have the talent and can adapt the diocesan pathway model to build a vision for Nativity. I hope to recruit team members and kick off this process in the next sixty days. It will take much of the rest of the year to survey the church on our vision and develop our own model. That timetable will allow us to implement and make progress on our vision in a timely manner.
Let us conclude this Nativity Now with a Collect that I have adapted from “A Form of Commitment to Christian Service” (BCP 421). This Collect seems appropriate as we step out in faith to re-envision how Nativity can best serve God in fulfilling our role in the Great Commission:
Almighty God, look with favor upon the Church of Nativity as we reaffirm our commitment to follow Christ and to serve in his name. Give us courage, patience, and vision; and strengthen us all in our Christian vocation to fulfill the Great Commission by witnessing to the world and serving others; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the Peace and Love of Christ,
Fr. Tim+
(941.321.6376; tmac_84@yahoo.com)