Ever dream what comes true

The February Presbytery meeting was a memorable one, hopeful for some, frustrating to others, and at times, confusing to many. For those who were not there, the Presbytery Lead Team, after much prayer and consideration of recent task group reports, data, and Presbytery finances, came to the difficult conclusion that it is time to close Camp Brainerd. The motion was to close the Camp after this summer season, and to do so well, with appropriate care for the staff and celebration of its long ministry.

Not unexpectedly, there were others at the meeting who felt this decision was premature, that other options and strategies are available. Lehigh Presbytery entered the rarely visited world of substitute motions and amendments. My thanks to Moderator Dave Boltz and Parliamentarian Jack Felch for steering the boat through occasionally rough waters of parliamentary procedure and discerning God’s will.

When the final votes were cast and counted, the Presbytery accepted the substitute motion. A task group of six ruling elders and six teaching elders has been given until September 2014 to determine whether there are viable alternatives for supporting the Camp, or if it should be closed. Regardless of one’s position on the original motion or the substitute, I don’t believe anyone has serious grounds for complaining about the process. Those so empowered and led spoke and voted, and action was taken.

I found myself troubled later,  without knowing exactly why. I could feel “it” even if I couldn’t identify “it.” Eventually, however, I knew.

The Presbytery took the time needed to discuss Camp Brainerd and to cover some other important parts of our life together. But we rushed the two guests representing the SHARE Food Program (sharefoodprogram.org). And we skipped altogether the docketed time for churches to talk about the realities of hunger in their area and how that might be addressed, perhaps through SHARE.

I have made clear to our leadership that this is not a critique of their direction of a complicated meeting. But it is a critique against all of us in that we were prepared to take as much time as necessary to discuss an existing ministry, but could not spend the time to consider whether and how God is calling us to a new thing. Yes, the Camp is an important matter, and no, SHARE is not for everyone. But hunger is a reality in every one of our communities. Some of our congregations have already found ways to address it and this meeting was a chance for them to share what they have learned and are doing. Others might find SHARE a new possibility.

We handled the process of the Camp discussion well. But whenever we become so focused on the “what is” that we do not have time for the “what might be,” our Process is flawed. It is not that the time on the Camp was not well-spent, but that we are poor stewards, miserly even, when we give short-shrift to new things God might be doing among us. And I believe that is true for every committee, session, synod, and General Assembly meeting as well.

A few days after our presbytery meeting I heard a song that has been with me ever since, especially as I consider my feelings about that meeting. Beth Nielson Chapman’s album Sand and Water was written in the wake of her husband’s death from cancer, and “The Color of Roses” is an especially poignant piece from that haunting collection. I wonder, does this chorus reflect the sadness God might feel at our missed opportunities, and the hope that they will not be missed again?

Only the ones who believe
Ever see what they dream
Ever dream what comes true

May God bless us with eyes of the heart to see visions and dream dreams, this day, and every day.

God is all in all,

Steve