I have been lamenting the state of the church a fair bit lately. Depite only being with us for a few weeks, our current locum has made some big changes, all of which I am struggling with but I feel like I have been silenced. I won’t go into details but I feel like I am now attending a very exclusive church that has no relevance to the local community at all and is not calling us to anything beyond our own personal eternal life after death. It is also boring, predictable and comfortable. All things that I am fairly sure the early church wasn’t and I am definitely sure Jesus wasn’t although the experience does make me wonder if I have it all wrong and if there is a place for me within the church. This hurts because as much as I struggle with the church I also really want to be a part of it. I love Jesus, I want to follow him and be close to him and eat at his table. I want to hear people speak about him and be challenged. I want to read the Bible and pray and be community with others who also want to this.

In more positive news we have made a nomination. I think I am allowed to say that. Our bishop announced it in church last week when he was speaking so I figure I am allowed to as long as I don’t use names. I am excited about the nomination. Being a nominator is really hard work and I have found it fairly confronting for all the above reasons so I am excited it is nearly over. But also I really like this guy. I am holding out hope for a different kind of leadership from the one we have right now and the one I have seen so often around the place.