Fr. Kirtley's Reflection 4-14-2023

From Fr Kirtley’s Quill

My Dear People of God, During this holy season of Eastertide, I greet you in the Name of Our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. Alleluia. Christ is Arisen! Truly, He is Risen!

Listening and Responding

Upon awaking every morning, I engage in a routine discipline of being Still and Listening. I begin by praying the Morning Office (Mattins) or Morning Prayer (as this service is called in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer), followed by an hour of Reflection. During this quiet time, I consider the words of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “Love cannot remain by itself – it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action and that action is service.” Many of us have a morning routine of some sort.

The ministry I share in Christ Jesus, is rooted in the servant gifts of being present, attending and listening. Saint Matthew tells us that “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (Matthew 20.28). This emphasis on servanthood, then, is the hallmark of our time and work together sharing ministry as Priest and People of Christ Church, Lucketts. It was modeled for me as a young lad by my dearly departed father of blessed memory, who as a devout churchman and hospital administrator, often shared with my siblings and me the three questions he asked himself daily upon arriving at work: 1) Who needs help? 2) What can we do? 3) Whom do we send? I wish for you to know that these three questions have shaped who I am and have formed me to see with the eyes of my heart, and listen deeply with the ears of my heart in being responsive to need. I share this with you, because I believe that these three questions are foundational to all that we do together as Christ Church, Lucketts. This is not a surprise to you as a loving community of Faith, who eagerly and generously respond to needs not only locally but far afield as well. This is very evident in our outreach mission with the food pantry around Lucketts, for example, and more recently, our action of donating our Easter Sunday Offering to aid an Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Mississippi badly damaged in last month’s tornado. Our ministry of caring together is one of listening and responding. It is indeed a privilege to serve with you here in Lucketts.

Our Lay Pastoral Leader, Kurt Aschermann’s announcement on Palm Sunday that he is taking a leave of absence from Christ Church for personal reasons, means that there will be adjustments to the worship schedule as we previously published. In consultation with the Wardens and Vestry, I will be with you three Sundays a month initially rather than two. I will be with you this Sunday, April 16th celebrating the Holy Eucharist together. We very much appreciate Kurt’s leadership and will continue holding both he & Anna in prayer. Kurt’s absence in no way affects the shared ministry between lay leadership of the congregation, i.e. Wardens and Vestry, and the Priest that is codified in the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church and we are vowed to adhere to and follow for guidance in all that we do together. 

Please be assured of my commitment in caring for you pastorally and loving you. By modeling, coaching, and encouraging you, my approach to shared leadership is designed to “give away” ministry by listening and showing what’s possible! I agree with author and syndicated columnist Sarah Ban Breathnach who writes, “the world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.” Christ Church, Lucketts, are you willing to dream and do?

May the Lord who has given us the will to do these things, give us the grace and courage to perform them. Walking in trust and praying that we find the way inclining to follow in the footsteps of our Lord, and living in the beauty of God’s incredible Love, I am,

Your Priest, Fr Kirtley+ SR