Anniversaries invite us to look back and reflect on where we came from, so a few days ago I decided to open my file of Sophia Christi’s first Mass to see where things were seven years ago. That first Mass was also on a Saturday—August 25, 2007 in Portland, to be exact—and I was scrambling at the last minute to find a place for us to meet after our host Church became suddenly unavailable the day before.
On Thursday an article about my ordination had appeared in the Oregonian, and early Friday morning I got a call from the pastor of St. Andrew Episcopal Church letting me know the Episcopal Diocese had pulled the rug on our celebration scheduled the next day at his church. He was upset and apologetic, but felt he had to comply with the decision. I made a quick call to the Methodist pastor down the street who I’d worked with on a committee, met with her and members of her Council Friday afternoon, and they welcomed our fledgling community the next day with open arms. A line from my homily that day reads: “Walking in the ancient shoes of God’s people is never a straightforward hike over a well-worn trail. The journey requires us to remain open to surprise.” (more…)