Title: A LETTER FROM PAUL. . .

May 28th, 2006

Paul Goodman

Interim Senior Minister

Words From the Fountain:

As promised in my last Fountain article, I am beginning a series on the five developmental tasks of interim ministry. Just to refresh your memories of the five they are:

• Coming to Terms with History
• Discovering New Identity
• Managing Leadership Shifts
• Renewing Denominational Linkages
• Commitment to New Future

Let’s begin with the most significant step, crucial to our work and fully supported by Scripture: Coming to Terms with History. The old saw: “Those who don’t learn from their past are destined to repeat it” is true (that’s how it gets to be an old saw!) The Bible knows this so well. In fact, many Biblical scholars contend that the most concerted effort to get the Torah and historical books and prophets written down coincided with the Jewish nation’s return to Israel from their 50 year exile in Babylon (c. 589 BCE). The religious leaders understood that the people needed to relearn all of the wonders that Yahweh had worked in their communal life, how the people had sometimes been faithful and just (and flourished) and sometimes, well let’s just say they weren’t! The tradition understands that when the people fell away they were in peril even so far as to being divided, conquered and a large portion exported to Babylon.

The leaders knew (as we have discovered over and over again since that ancient time) the history of the people needed to be explored, honored, acknowledged, repented and used to inform the present circumstances and future shalom of the community. Arrogance and denial were not permitted, and fingers were only allowed to be pointed at the community itself. The Biblical stories and lessons that make up the first ¾ of the Old Testament are a group’s exploration of its own story: good, bad and other. It was done so that they could learn a new way, seek to understand Yahweh’s instruction and heart longings for the chosen people. This could help build a healthy, peaceable, loving and just nation in the midst of many nations so that others could see their example and know who Yahweh is!

Well, that’s what we do during interim time – look at the past in light of current circumstances. I ask you to celebrate the glories, look at the times when things were “going well” and also to try to understand when things got derailed (and why that may have happened.) The Bible is very clear about it in relation to the Israelites – it was their doing “what was evil in the sight of the Lord” for the corruption of their priests, judges, and people not doing justice, not loving and taking care for one another and so o

We may not want to acknowledge our faults but to ignore them hoping that they’ll just magically go away or change without our effort is (as history teaches us) a foolish and potentially dangerous way to behave. Being willing and able to name the weaknesses and the strengths in a family (church) system is the foundational work to more complete understanding of current circumstances. In turn that work can point in a direction of hopeful future embodying the shalom that Yahweh God intends and wishes for all the family of faith.

It’s going to take some honest work, flexibility, imagination and patience to learn from the past – but would you want to relive some of the history? So prepare to join us in the work and the journey.

Shalom