Worth Reading

Tom Brackett is a relatively new colleague at work. He serves as the Program Officer, Church Planting and Redevelopment for the Episcopal Church Center. He currently lives and works in Asheville, NC, until the Church Center sets up its the Regional Office planned for somewhere in the Southeast. Tom is soft spoken and has a ready smile. It was a genuine pleasure to see him during our recent In House Days.

He is also the only person outside of the readers of this blog who saw my "Musings On Grace Episcopal Church" before I rewrote it for the February issue of the parish newsletter.

I recently discovered Tom's blog, Church Planting Central, via a comment on another colleague's blog, Father T Listens to the World. I've been pondering Tom's two most recent posts: "What have we here ... is this really 'emergent'?" and "Letting Go." However, I do want to share this particular quote from "Letting Go," which speaks to me both in my position as the Associate Program Officer, Children's Formation at the Episcopal Church Center and as a member of Grace Episcopal Church:

So, right then and there, I made a commitment to God with that cardinal watching as my witness. You might call it a covenant; it’s a pact that I don’t mind making public. I committed myself to seek life, to forsake cynicism, to open myself to what Verna Dozier called “the dream of God.” I committed myself to “let go” of the old ways that no longer serve us. I committed myself to look for and support others who are living into that commitment, as well. In my public life, in my work, it is my dream that we plant and nurture new ministries that are willing to let go of the old behaviors and ego-driven squabbling so that we might embrace God’s call – that Kin-dom that longs to emerge through each of us!

Go and read Tom's blog.

Peace,
Jeff
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