A Message from Rev. Kathy

Hello everyone,

This is my first time checking in with you on Updates from the Journey. I am so grateful to be with you in this sabbatical-time journey and looking forward to leading worship this Sunday. As you know, we will be reflecting on our experiences in nature last Sunday. I have to say, spending time in the Filoli gardens was a great way to begin a ministry! The gardens were spectacular, and it was good to meet several of you in person. I also am grateful for the very meaningful Pentecost service where I was welcomed into ministry with you. Some more on that below.

I will begin by reflecting on our time at Filoli. We started our day there with a meditation time before heading out to explore. It was a warm and sunny day, and I was grateful for the many benches in the gardens to stop and rest. There was so much to explore, including bonsai trees, an extensive rose garden, a vegetable garden, statues made of tree branches, and many different floral species. Trees along the trail to an upper level of the garden were filled with colorful bird houses. After exploring by ourselves, we gathered again to share a tasty lunch. Thanks to Kristina for all the work that she did arranging the details so that the day ran smoothly.

I hope that those of you who could not attend the field trip did have an opportunity to explore the beauty and serenity in nature. If you haven’t already, be sure to take some time to reflect back on your experience, paying attention to what spoke to you and made your heart sing. The late, great preacher, Rev. Fred Craddock, talks about the importance of remembering in understanding how God works in our lives. He says that there are three possible times that we can understand the significance or importance of an event in our lives: in rehearsal, at the time of the event, and in remembrance. In rehearsal, understanding is hindered because we have not yet experienced the event, and it can be hard to imagine all that might happen. In the moment of the event, understanding is hindered by the clutter and confusion of all that is happening and having one’s attention taken away by various details. But in remembrance, we have the time to look back and take in all that happened; we can recognize what was truly important, we might see that something that seemed big in the moment was not so, and something we barely noticed in the moment has become very special. In doing this, we gain understanding of the experience and of the work of the Spirit in our lives.

I am looking forward to hearing how the Spirit spoke to you through your time in nature.

Now, I want to reflect back on the Pentecost service. The covenant and blessing part of the service was so meaningful. It was a reminder to me of the power in ritual and the way in which it connects us deeply to our faith. Even though we could not meet in person and were instead communing via screens, it was a profoundly meaningful moment.

I want to share with you the story of the stole that I put on that Sunday. Like many pastors, I have several stoles, so a choice needed to be made. The one I chose is one that I received on my ordination. I was ordained by the Lafayette Christian Church (LCC). That stole previously belonged to Rev. Mike Matthews, who was the Music Minister at LCC. Mike had one of those outgoing, bigger-than-life personalities. He loved music and sang in opera companies before going to seminary. He was very enthusiastic about music and even got me to sing in the choir a few times.

As you may recall, I made the decision to pursue ministry later in my life. I was a member of LCC, active in several groups and committees, and served as an Elder. In the Disciples of Christ tradition, Elders serve at the communion table. One Sunday, when I was serving at the table, my husband Alan had come to church with me. When the service ended, he took off, and it took me a while to find him. Once I found him, he told me that he felt like he had seen me receive a call while I was at the table. He was a little taken aback by the experience and so went to Mike to process it. From that point, Mike began to encourage me to go to seminary, and he was not going to take no for an answer. One of the other things Mike was passionate about was cooking, so he invited Alan and me to dinner after my first day of seminary.

During seminary, I did an alternative field education experience looking at the connections between physical health and spirituality. Rev. Mike was one of my supervisors for that experience and remained one of my mentors throughout my time in seminary. When I graduated, we celebrated at the home of Mike and his wife, Rev. Faye Orton. Sadly, Mike passed away before I was ordained.

Like many pastors, Mike had several stoles, and Rev. Faye decided that she would bestow one to each person ordained by LCC. The church had for many years been a field education site, so several people were ordained there. And so, when I was ordained, I received the stole that I put on when you blessed me on Pentecost. It is meaningful, of course, because it belonged to Mike. It also has colors I love and golden stars, musical instruments, and musical notes. It seemed particularly fitting given our sabbatical theme of “What Makes Your Heart Sing?” I have no idea what the words on it say; I assume they are Latin and speak about God and the wonder of music.

Again, I want to say how grateful I am for this experience and that I am honored to be on this sabbatical journey with you.

Rev. Kathy