une 7, 2021 “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day. ” Habbakuk 3:1
The Jesuits ( a Catholic Order ) have a certain way of making decisions. When I was thinking about my position at Floradale I thought about it in this way: 1) Reasons to stay 2) Reasons to not stay 3) Reasons to Go 4) Reasons to not Go. They might seem to be the same thing looked at differently, and you are exactly right. But in the Jesuit way of deciding, these slight nuances might bring about a more clear decision. Reasons to stay or go, come at it from a positive or negative viewpoint. In the end, it was the final set of answers under reasons not to go, which spoke to my leaving. Although it was sad for me to go, it was time for me to leave after 25 years. It was a tough and complicated decision.
When thinking about changing jobs, or retiring, what kind of thinking were you doing ? Did you decide to retire or were you forced to retire ? Who did you consult about your decision, or do you go on a hunch or a feeling of the Spirit, Are you in the middle of talking about change ?
At Woolwich Council tomorrow evening, we are going to be asked to say yes or no, or not yes, or not no ! It is an emotional time for the Council, the residents of Breslau, staff and the people of Small Tent City. I find it interesting that people have told me what to do as a pastor, as well as a politician. This actually complicates it for me. I am going to use the Jesuit form of deciding. And as we know, all decisions can be changed later. At least that is my view,
At some point, I will leave Poole, not now. I will use this kind of thinking. I will share it with my wife, the Elders and then others. We will see when the time comes what kind of thinking will come through the Spirit. Prayer from Habbakuk 3:16-18
I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. AMEN
Fred Soaring like Vultures lifted up by unseen Hands Trust, silent enters my fears Monica Pieper Landoni 2021
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