Today we begin: nineteen wonderful women clergy and the Pastor as Spiritual Mentor. Teri, my co-facilitator, led a thought-provoking conversation about pastors as mentors. Referring to Eugene Peterson's Under the Unpredicatable Plant, Teri reminded us that sometimes we are called to walk with folks in our parishes during extraordinarily difficult times of grief, illness, and hardship. That time our role may be what Peterson calls messiah (not with a capital M). Sometimes we are helping keep order in the church, and our role is what he calls manager. But our unique role as pastors is what Peterson calls spiritual director. This facet of clergy life is what we're exploring in our understanding of our role as spiritual mentors.
Peterson reminds us that it is not the clergy's job to mange the Kingdom but to be attentive to God, to be attentive to how God is with people, circumstances and situations, and to call attention to God. In fact, Teri reminded us that we are often called to step back and do nothing. By doing that, we can listen to the silence between the sounds and discern the Spirit, name God, and open our eye to adoration.
Tonight we go to play with the sisters of our Lady of Grace. I understand it will include eating pie.
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