Vestry Viewpoint

Rain as we came back. Darkness what in summer would be a late afternoon. Yellow and red streaks shine through the droplets on the windscreen from other cars buzzing by. I am thinking, while my wife steers our van back home. Isn’t it odd, that while we focus so much on the here and now, we are still unable to enjoy it to its fullest? I suspect, this has been the case though the ages. I suspect that that is one of the reasons we celebrate advent. To break that vicious circle of only living in the present without any regard for the future. Maybe that is the true goal of this season. To help us through pause and reflection. It is not so easy, is it?

Over Thanksgiving we drove our Sprinter van all the way across the mountains to visit my wife’s family. Before the trip we had been watching the weather reports with great interest, as people tend and tended to do when they cross through mountain passes. Would the pass be open and stay that way? As we drove through the pass, we were greeted by a mountain of fluffy snow basking in the white light of the bright sun. The night before it had indeed come down in what looked like droves. But the road was cleared and dry. Unlike the not even so distant past, when this would have spelled doom on the unprepared and the prepared traveler alike, this kind of uncertainty turned into to enjoyment as my kids sunk away with every step taken when we stopped at the summit. We were drowning in the most beautiful sight of our mountains glittering with snow. It didn’t even feel cold. A nice, peaceful surprise.

When a bright sun silently glisters on the mountain slopes, it is much easier to get into the reflective spirit of advent and find inner peace. Thanksgiving itself usually is a good start already, sitting around a large table with family and friends, recounting our blessings. I found it difficult to relax though. Even writing this article is harder than usual. This year my mom was diagnosed with cancer. With modern medicine the inevitable can be postponed, but not staved off. The spirit of advent seems further away than ever on a personal level as she will be fighting an uncertain battle so many of us have to endure it seems.

This year has also seen continued uncertainty for our church community. We are looking for a rector. We are looking to find our way in the world after the severity of Covid. We are looking around and it still feels like we are surrounded by cold fog. In the past we would have done this and have done this successfully. Following the news a bit, read the good book, writing a letter or two, awaiting some responses. Easy enough. I bet it wasn’t though.

Simplicity then. Unlike today, were we get short answers at the whim of a grey button, reach out to thousands with the silent click of a key, pretend to absorb the good word while we slide through our darkened phones, shaking our heads when a message disturbs our supposed peace. The instant gratification we receive every moment in a way amplifies uncertainty instead of calming it. Exaggerated by a lack of reflection brought on us by lack of time. Searching is easier today, finding all the more difficult. Coming to rest may be impossible in our time.

Looking at the world for the first time in generations viable nuclear threats are uttered again. Talk about uncertainty. It may not be the fully grown apocalyptic horse riders. But for sure their smaller cousins, little goblins riding those cute miniature horses. Still not pleasant to get run down by them. Yet, we must believe and direct our thoughts. The season of good will can prevail, even if for now it seems we are stuck on the passes. Maybe this year we have to be more deliberate in our attempts to reflect and pause. That is of course easier said than done as real people are in real danger from greedy war and inflation-caused famine.

A lot of the uncertainty in this world we can’t control. Some of it we can. Or at least our church community tries to. My kids are enjoying Sunday school that was started up again. We have introduced new activities, that might become traditions. The kids have painted red pumpkins. They have eaten yellow-cheesed pizza. And they have stapled green wreaths. It is not only kids that are enjoying these activities either. I do hope we will find someone for the nursery soon, even though my offspring, much to their chagrin, is too old to attend.

This is my last year on the vestry. As I roll off and someone else no doubt picks up where I left off, an even easier task than many might already suspect, the search for a rector continues. It will soon enter a new phase. As the next vestry takes on their role and navigates through a brave new world, I am confident that we will find our place again. And I am not worried, which should maybe be worrying?
One advantage of snow in the passes and at our eventual camp site was, that together with the Christmas decorations, that were out already as if to make up for all those lost Covid Christmases, it really helped to get into the feeling that Christmas brings. Snow before the yule tide feels so romantic, whereas snow after the New Year is just a drag and a reminder that warm spring is still so far off. What a difference perspective can make.

In all honesty, a closed mountain pass would have been more of a nuisance than an adventure. In fact, I tip my hat to some Thanksgiving campers who were sleeping in a tent surrounded by 4 inches of snow, while we hunkered down in a heated van. Either way, it comes down to preparation I suppose. Could it be that the unprepared traveler is so much worse off at the pass? As we all have to come to grips with our own journey, we are hopefully slightly better prepared, guided by our faith. Maybe that is then what I should do more to mindfully pause and reflect.

I leave you with these questions to ponder over, as we enter advent. For once I do not have easy answers. On the bright side it keeps this article more concise than usual. I want to thank you for your trust as I say goodbye to the vestry. And I am as surprised as you that I did not burn down the church inadvertently while serving. Must be because of all that rain that I write about. I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and may you stay safe during these uncertain times. God bless you.

-Giorah Boar