One of my favorite prayers is found in the intercessions we use at Good Shepherd at the end of Morning and Evening Prayer. Each day, we pray for “all yet unknown to us whom God will draw to this place to come to know and love our Lord Jesus.” This prayer is both specific and not so specific that we try to dictate to God exactly what should happen. Such a transactional view of prayer (i.e. “Here is what I want, God, and I expect it to happen immediately”) is tempting. We often expect a change in our feelings or emotions directly after offering a prayer. Or we expect a discernible result within minutes of praying, as if we’re handing a cashier a twenty dollar bill for an item we’ve purchased.
But the specificity of prayer commended by our Lord in a Biblical passage such as Matthew 7:7 (“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you”) balances both human clarity of purpose and the divine mystery of God’s response. Our daily prayer at Good Shepherd for “all yet unknown to us” whom God will draw to the parish conveys to God our desire for others to join us in Christian discipleship. And at the same time, it defers to God’s wisdom in sending us the people in question.
More clearly than ever before in my experience as a priest, over the past five years that I have been at Good Shepherd, I’ve seen the power of prayer and of God’s response. Discerning God’s response is not as clear as asking Google what the weather patterns are in New York City and having Google spit an answer back out. Rather, discerning God’s response to prayer is like gazing for a while at an autostereogram and, suddenly, noticing the clear image hidden within it. I have been amazed at those persons who walk through the doors of our church bearing gifts exactly suited for the parish’s needs. Or in other cases, the persons who show up here are in need of something that only this parish can provide. In other instances, these persons are linked with our parish for a brief period of time (for a reason known only to God) and then move on by the circumstances of life. But I believe firmly that all who find their way to Good Shepherd are sent by God.
And in my opinion, this is why the modern grasping after gimmicks and flashy tricks to lure people to church doesn’t work. That quest is Pelagian, assuming that only our human efforts will draw people into the life of faith. What I’ve discovered palpably at Good Shepherd is that if we show up regularly to pray, opening ourselves to God while also specifically conveying to God our intentions, God responds in his own way and in a way that is best for us and for the world God created. The modern Church, so fearful and anxious about dying, doesn’t need a strategic plan for growth or a bag of tricks; she simply needs to pray and show up faithfully to respond to those whom God sends her way, welcoming them into the fold of Christ and partnering with them in a way that honors everyone’s God-given gifts.
As we at Good Shepherd seek to be specific in our prayer, it behooves us to name those areas in our common life where we need God’s help. Currently, the parish vestry and I are striving to build more sustainable ministry at Good Shepherd. In other words, how does ministry thrive beyond the leadership of any one person, whether that of the rector, a staff member, or a parishioner who leads it? This is healthy and ensures that ministry will outlive the persons involved in it. It also assumes that ministry will flourish around the respect for each person’s specific gifts.
I’m inviting you to pray with me for those whom God will send to the parish to support the ministry that God is building among us. I’m also inviting you to pray for those who are already here who may need encouragement in sharing and using the gifts God has given them. Our prayer need only be as specific as our daily prayer for “all yet unknown to us whom God will draw to this place to come to know and love our Lord Jesus.” And at the same time, we can name those areas of parish life where help is needed. This is being honest and clear, and lest we think of prayer as demanding things from God, we should also recognize how prayer shapes us as we pray.
Let me offer some intentions for us in our common life. First, we are in need of a long-term plan for oversight of our buildings and property (over 15,000 square feet, to be exact). Currently, the management of this property falls too heavily on our small staff (of which I’m the only full-time employee). Our magnificent property manager, Kevin Loughrey, is only onsite five hours a week, hardly enough time to accomplish all that we throw at him. I ask you to pray for those whom God will send to help us with the stewardship of our wonderful buildings. And if you have gifts to share in this regard, pray about whether God is calling you to help us. Such help doesn’t require expert knowledge. Part of what we need is someone to help us with organizational systems of oversight. Much property requires many eyes watching over it to ensure its health and security.
Second, please pray for our discernment as we build a sustainable system for managing our retreat house. We’d love to see even more programming and activity in that house, but to do so, we need more help. Our retreat house is an invaluable ministry that has welcomed guests from across the world. We’ve also partnered on numerous occasions with Hosts for Hospitals, providing accommodations (free of charge) for those coming to the area for medical care. Our own parishioner Kit Apostolacus has just moved into the retreat house, where, for a year, she will serve as an Assistant for Liturgical and Retreat House Ministries, helping us manage the running of the house and also assisting at the Daily Office and Masses during the week. Please pray for those we don’t yet know whom God will draw here to help with our retreat house ministry, as well as for those already here who might be called to assist, too.
Third, please pray for the growth and flourishing of our new chorister program. This ministry is off to a strong start, but I believe there’s more potential for children in the local community to be touched by the gift of music, and at the same time, acquire important skills for growing into mature and well-rounded individuals. Additionally, they are blessed by Jesus in the process, as ministry allows seeds of faith to be planted in their hearts. We need help in spreading the word about this program and in ensuring its vitality in the future.
In a parish as vibrant as ours, there are many other areas of our common life that are in need of assistance, but at the moment, the areas of ministry I have named seem most salient. I’ve said many times before that our parish will not function as fully as it can unless all of us are using our God-given gifts. But how we use those gifts is determined by our prayer. Please pray for this parish, its proclamation of the Gospel, and our increasing outreach to the local community, wider Church, and world. I’ll look forward to seeing you in church this Sunday as we offer our corporate prayer to the God who always surprises us with his abundant gifts. If you’re traveling this weekend, please offer your own prayers before the altar of another church in your travels. Let’s be specific in our prayer, but then, we must hand the rest over to God to accomplish all things in his good time.
Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle