Asilomar Experience

The Asilomar grounds on the Monterey peninsula and the Asilomar experience remain two of the most enduring elements and the most challenging aspects of ministry. I never know what to expect and always get more than I bargained for in my trips there. Highlights? graduation and celebration dinner with the new Rev's; Sharing a stage and an experience with Perry (you know how great you are!); and the New Camoldoli Hermitage with David (Kundalini) Leonard; meditations in Surf and Sand still move me. People of Nevada City/Grass Valley ... it was wonderful to see you again. "Only Love Remains" ...

All week I found I was humming

I'm growing and I don't like it.
I'm growing and it hurts.
I still love You, but I'm tired.
I guess I have a lot to learn ....

Glad to be home ... and the future to look forward to

I'm conscious that I'm stranding on the edge of a cliff ready to jump of as I Cast a Vision for Lay Ministry. Easum in "Leadership on the Other Side" warned me that this would happen. You see the business of approaching leadership from a permission model rather than the one most of us are used to (the more authoritarian, Pastoral one) requires a shift in everyone's paradigm and guess whose gets played with first ... mine.A congregation member just reminded me, "Terry, It's all consciousness right? ... Well I guess the Church needs you to give it permission to grow before it can. What's holding you back from giving that permission?" She actually had a few suggestions ... That's the part I really hated ... and was so grateful for. MORE later

EASUM

Casting the vision for lay ministry continues to unfold with a lot of enthusiasm being generated in many quarters. I keep thinking about the potential for chaos in all that I am suggesting and people are beginning to question where it could lead as well. It will certainly lead to a greater sense of involvement and ownership of the ministry than presently exists. Already many people are stepping up and suggesting areas where they feel called to serve.There are many who applaud the sharing of this, THEIR ministry, with them. It strikes me as strange that it has taken me so long to come to the confirm that ministry must aim at the heart rather than the head; that it must build harmony rather than mere agreement; that it must communicate joy rather than simple contentment, and that it leads ultimately to freedom rather than denominational affiliation. Let's face it people of his time more than any other will remain where they are fed and will quickly look for an alternative if they feel they are not being sustained, transformed, mentored to their wholeness as expressions of God.