Page 8 - Presbyterian Connection Newspaper

Connection
LEADERSHIP
Grace Presbyterian Church Leans into Discomfort
to Overcome Barriers
8 SPRING 2019
PRESBYTERIAN
presbyterian.ca
By Tyler Williams, Grace Presbyterian Church, Calgary
In 2016, Grace Presbyterian Church faced a challenge. Two long-serving and much-loved ministers had ac- cepted calls, one to another congre- gation and one to care for her father. Within a few months of each other, the lead minister and one of two associate ministers left the Calgary Church.
Ministers who have served a con- gregation for multiple years become woven into the fabric of the com- munity. They become part of the community’s identity and create a real sense of familiarity and comfor t. When they leave those communities, it’s like pulling thread from a blanket. Their absence leaves holes. The blan- ket doesn’t feel as warm and doesn’t cover as well as it used to; the wind can blow right through it.
The depar ture of long-time lead- ers can leave a community feeling exposed and vulnerable. It can be a very uncomfortable place. And since people don’t tend to like feeling vulner- able, they often take steps to protect themselves. There’s a tendency to patch the holes as quickly as possible.
The Presbyterian Church in Canada recommends a period of interim lead- ership during which the congregation can take time to reflect on their identity and discern a path for the future. They ask churches to lean into vulnerability and discomfort trusting that God will meet them in those places. If a con- gregation can resist the urge to fix things quickly and can be present to discomfort, they can learn a lot about themselves.
Grace welcomed an interim minis- ter for a time, but Grace’s remaining associate minister, the Rev. Dr. M. Jean Morris, stepped up to take on the role of Interim Executive Minister. This step was impor tant. The newest of Grace’s ministers, Dr. Morris had been a part of Grace’s community for a few years and provided the congre- gation with the stability it needed to continue leaning into discomfor t for what would become a nearly three- year process of visioning and minister searches.
During the visioning process, inter- nal committees and external consult- ants worked together to interview and survey individuals and groups within the congregation. Throughout the process, Grace’s session and congre-
gation continually returned to a pas- sage of scripture, Ephesians 4: 1–7, 11–16:
I beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and pa- tience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to main- tain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your call- ing, one Lord, one faith, one bap- tism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
But each of us was given grace ac- cording to the measure of Christ’s gift... The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some pastors and teach- ers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowl- edge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.
We must no longer be children tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine...But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
These words from Paul encouraged Grace Church to explore where the congregation was strongest and felt they were living up to their calling, and where they needed to apply their gifts and even grow up. One of the clearest answers came when the consultants gathered a report on the surround- ing community: Calgary’s Beltline neighbourhood. Although Grace had been physically present in the com- munity for over 100 years, the report identified there was little community awareness about Grace and few con- nections between the church and the neighbourhood.
If you’ve never seen it, Grace Church—the actual building—is a sight to behold. High sandstone walls suppor ting intricate stained-glass windows, heavy wooden doors and a circular sanctuary are just a few of the most notable features. Inside this
building, the congregation of Grace has met weekly for over 100 years. Within these walls is where genera- tions have grown in their faith, sup- por ted each other in community and raised their families.
Grace’s features, both structural and communal, have a way of making one feel comfor table. Feeling at home in a church is a good thing, but as the research about Grace’s congregation and the surrounding community came into focus, it became clear that those comfor ting features had become a divide. From the outside, high walls and heavy doors were beautiful but imposing. From the inside, a safe and comfor table community became a type of armour, and venturing out into the unfamiliar neighbourhood felt like an increasingly vulnerable act.
None of this was intentional. It just happened as the congregation and community grew and changed; drift- ing apar t from each other.
The congregation of Grace identi- fied a need to step out of the build- ing and engage the gifts of its mem- bers to serve the neighbourhood, the community as a whole. They spent the remainder of the interim period discerning how they might do that. A renewed vision focused on the trans- formative power of God’s grace, and the mission focused on building an internal community that was inspired to love neighbours and effect social change. A reorganization brought fewer and smaller committees, allow- ing for quicker decision-making and response time, and would welcome three new ministers to join the Rev. Dr. Jean Morris. Each minister would have a por tfolio—a specialization.
In the fall of 2018, Grace called the Rev. Dr. Nick Athanasiadis, Lead Min- ister, Vision Worship & Discipleship; the Rev. Maren McLean Persaud, Associate Minister, Children & Youth; and the Rev. Jake Van Pernis, Associ- ate Minister, Engagement & Service, to join with the Rev. Dr. M. Jean Mor- ris, now the Associate Minister, Pasto- ral Care. Together these four ministers make up Grace’s ministry team. They are tasked with leading Grace into the renewed vision and mission, and through each of their areas of focus to strengthen the congregation and em- power them to build a connection with the community.
Although the approaches Grace turned to are not new and have been
(Left to right): the Rev. Maren McLean Persaud, Associate Minister, Children & Youth; the Rev. Jake Van Pernis, Associate Minister, Engagement & Service; the Rev. Dr. Nick Athanasiadis, Lead Minister, Vision, Worship & Discipleship; and the Rev. Dr. M. Jean Morris, Associate Minister, Pastoral Care.
used by many different churches, they represent a significant shift for Grace. That shift represents a commitment not to be bound by the building or to rest too long in the comfort of the con- gregation—to return to them regularly for encouragement and growth, but to commit to being present to, and seen by, the community.
For any church or community that has taken steps to be truly seen, or any individual who has spoken up at a meeting when they preferred to be silent or shared their art or writing with a new group of people, you know the gut-wrenching nervous anxiety of standing in your own vulnerability. Having let go of masks and armour, you are now open to judgement and criticism—but impor tantly you are also open to real connection and be- longing.
This willingness to be seen is what the congregation of Grace has committed to, both individually and corporately. They are breaking down their own barriers to the community. Unsure whether each day will bring criticism or welcome. They are com- mitted to seeing the community and being seen by the community.
The Rev. Dr. Nick Athanasiadis said it this way, “The church, and in par ticular congregations, are called to be in the world, in the community, in a transformative way. For us, this means becoming vulnerable, by lis- tening, by paying attention to discern where the vital need is, by opening our doors, going outside and letting those who are outside come in. In that interaction and through this relation- ship, we may be converted in ways we cannot yet imagine.”
Grace is still in the early stages of these changes, but already there have been great oppor tunities. An English Language Learner program has been running for a while but is now fully subscribed—the program receives lit- tle adver tising beyond word of mouth and welcomes many different faiths and cultures. Stronger working rela- tionships with local organizations (one suppor ting homeless youth, and an- other one sheltering women escaping
Grace Presbyterian Church in Calgary.
from sexual exploitation) have created unique oppor tunities for par tnership. Grace has also joined with a local school to suppor t families by contrib- uting to food programs that feed hun- gry students.
These projects and programs have been reinvigorated by the shifts in Grace’s mission and vision and by the effor ts of the congregation and min- isters to nurture the existing points of connection. While that’s been hap- pening, other groups within Grace have been trying to forge new con- nections and foster new relationships. There’s increasing awareness about some of the challenges within the community, but also an appreciation of just how vibrant the community is, and the incredible work being done by other individuals and organizations in responding to those challenges.
Grace Church isn’t sure where all this will lead, which is true of any experiment. There are outcomes and oppor tunities the congregation is hop- ing for, but there are potential risks as well. What is certain is the commit- ment to lean into the discomfort that comes with making ourselves vis- ible, and trusting that, as the people of Grace move through the commu- nity and meet their neighbours, they’ll discover God is already there and at work. Grace’s job will be to ask, “How can we serve?”