An Accidental Priest
The pictures are a bit grainy. No digital camera back then. On February 1, 1992 I stood before The Rt. Rev. John S. Spong, Bishop of Newark, to make my ordination vows. The preacher was The Rev. Bernie Dooley, my chaplain and mentor from The Florida State University. The parish was Christ Church in Short Hills, New Jersey where I was a curate for 2 years. Seems like a long time ago.
The 25's and 50's are big anniversaries, but 30 years of continuous ministry is a watermark of sorts in The Episcopal Church: a cleric qualifies for a full pension if taken. So any fears of sleeping in my car after a horrible sermon, unmanageable staff issues gone wrong or other parish meltdowns will no longer keep me awake.. not that it did much really.
What have I learned? What have I done? What have been the highs and lows?
The work of a priest in the church today is multi-facetted. No one has all the gifts to be a priest in a parish setting, but one certainly gets a go at administration, listening deeply to people, finance, real estate, visitation of the sick and dying, weddings and funerals, conflict management (or avoidance). Writing. I write a lot, though I'd give my right arm for a proof editor. I write sermons mostly now, but it has been a learning process and continues to be. To express myself in ways, when it works, those listening can see a bit of God and Jesus in their lives.
Did I mention boilers?
I have faced rejection along the way -- lost power struggles I could never have won. Shake the dust off those sandals...
And I have always considered myself an accidental priest.
When and if I ever forgot why I got into this holy ordinary work, I find my way back to Latin America. Jesus became known to me on a beach in Ecuador nearly 40 years ago. He said, or at least I heard: "become a priest." I said: "Hmmm..I'm not even a committed Christian, I don't have a church, and I wasn't really thinking in that career direction." He said, or at least I heard: "Come anyway." I said: "OK, I will start this journey but I will not change who I am. I am who I am." That's called bargaining, so I broke that rule early on. I knew I would never be as brave or pious or holy as those moving mountains in Latin American Liberation Theology at the time. Their witness led me to this Jesus on the beach who seemed unfazed by my negotiations.
It's a long way from Ecuador to Exeter. People are people. The need is a different need. And there is work to be done in community. We have learned since March 2020 that sometimes the church and those who care about it are in a perfect place to call us all back to a center.
My wife Leslie has been my partner since we met my first semester of seminary in 1988. I could not have made it this far without her love, involvement and support.. and there were tough times that taxed us. Now she is a gifted "clergy whisperer" in her own right, doing good work in her capital campaign consulting business. And our two P.K.'s Will and Lydia: they will forever be shaped by the "family business." Again, not always easy. But they have travelled the world, were raised in diversity, and can work a crowded room of older people. But each will take with them their own memories and see where they lead.
