From the Rector: Dreams

Before our mid-year parish meeting, I laid out four dreams that I want to work toward in my leadership of the parish. For any of them to become a reality, a large portion of the parish will have to embrace them. And because this will be a group process, I expect them to be changed as we discern together what it is God wants us to do. This then is a written invitation to the whole parish family to have an honest, loving, and prayerful conversation about them. And let our dialogue be open and straight-forward. We will make sure there are plenty of opportunities for both formal and informal group conversations about these dreams.

Dream # 1: Park for children in the center of our block

It's my dream that the children who'll be living in the new family addition of the shelter will play with our children in a wonderful, safe, and secure place in the center of our block. We can create a secure oasis for families to play and relax. In an urban setting like ours, we must go out of our way to make room for children and to give them the space they need to feel at home in the city. Some monies are already set aside for this and some tentative plans have been drawn up. The Board of Urban Ministries of Durham will share in the oversight and management of the park. We will need people to support this financially. We do not know now what the costs will be. That information should be available later this year. 

Dream # 2: Open a Lunchtime Café for downtown workers in our Parish Hall

We should not only minister to the poor of downtown, but the many who work within blocks of our church. There is a three-fold goal to this dream: 1) to provide an affordable and attractive gathering place for downtown workers to have lunch. In addition to food, we'd like to have live music from musicians who are performing locally and have opportunities for community leaders to debate important issues; 2) to work in partnership with local restaurants to train unemployed people in food service delivery and management. These restaurants would benefit from receiving well-trained new employees and previously unemployed people would develop job skills; and, 3) to make enough money to provide the parish with funds to regularly replace furniture and equipment as well as maintenance of our space. Any monies above and beyond that would go to support the ministries of Urban Ministries of Durham. 

Dream # 3: Reforming our worship space so it is visually and physically accessible to all people.

Six years ago we raised this issue and it just wasn't the right time to deal with it. We had other more pressing concerns. But now it's time. Regardless of where one is in this church, one ought to be able to see the altar as the Eucharist is celebrated, and regardless of one's physical ability, one ought to be able to approach God's altar to receive his holy sacrament. We have a beautiful church that's been altered a number of times over the last century. We have one of the leading liturgical space designers in the U.S. living nearby, Mr. Terry Eason. He is a member of the Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill. He could help us design the alterations in such a way that we'd retain the traditional integrity of our beautiful space, while making Holy Communion accessible to even those in wheel chairs. 

Dream # 4: New Ministry on grass area of our parking lot

Recently, I've been staring at the spot where the old bus station once stood in our parking lot. And I've been asking God what should go there and I believe God has a dream for that space. I want to put together a Dream Team that will spend the next year or so dreaming of what might be. I want them to talk to all of our neighbors and listen to what needs and concerns they raise. I don't know what God has in mind. But I do know three things about it: It will be big (because God only has big dreams); it will be beautiful (because it comes from God); and it will be impossible (which is why God will ask us to do it)! Whatever we discern God is calling us to do with that space, I'm certain it must be done in partnership with others in our community. By gathering partners, we strengthen not only our capacity to accomplish the dream, but we also solidify long-term support for whatever ministry evolves from it. The more people share in the dream, the better it will be cared for and nurtured in the future. 

In addition to these dreams, the Vestry has put forth numerous recommendations that will improve our common life and ministry in the immediate and near future. These reports are below. At our mid-year meeting, these recommendations were presented and commented on. Those additional comments will be considered as the Vestry discerns which recommendations can be initiated now and which will have to wait until more resources are available.  

If you want to work toward the discernment of any of these dreams, then please contact me ASAP. We need a wide diversity of folk working together.

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