March 1, 2009

Dear friends in life and in ministry . . .

Last week I shared with you that I am part of a Weight Loss Challenge competition sponsored by a local radio station in cooperation with three Southern Tier Fitness centers. During the Challenge, each 3 member team has the services of a personal trainer and the support and encouragement of our teammates. The team that loses the most weight by May 8 will be declared the winners and receive a prize package which quite frankly is irrelevant to our personal goal of becoming fit.

In last week's email, I predicted that I would lose 8 - 10 pounds during my first week. Actually, I lost 11 and our team lost a total of 23 pounds so we are off to a good start. Our weigh in is Wednesday this week and I'm speculating that at least 6 more pounds will have been removed from my much too ample body. Remember, my goal is 50 lbs. by the time I retire in late June.

In my homily this weekend, I used the analogy of the weight loss challenge in suggesting what we might need to successfully reach our personal Lenten Spiritual growth challenge. We can't do it alone. It really helps to call on the services of a personal spiritual trainer (perhaps a spiritual director) or close friend to walk the spiritual walk with us. It also helps to realize that we are part of a spiritual team of Christians - the "mystical body of Christ". This team depends on each of us to do our part so we can successfully reach our mutual goal - a life of grace.

My column this week is was inspired by a discussion that took place several months ago at a meeting of pastoral administrators. Our discussion topic was a talk given by Albany Bishop Howard Hubbard on the Qualities of an Effective Pastoral Leader. About two weeks ago, my position as pastoral leader at St. Mary's in Bath was posted to all priests and pastoral administrators within the Rochester Diocese (along with many others that will become open in July) the column is timely and, I believe, thought provoking. What qualities do you expect will be possessed by your pastor or church leader?

Unabashed Promotion of our Cruise Last weekend, Pat and I held two information sessions on our November Cruise to the Lands of the Bible. Next Sunday (March 8), we'll have another informational meeting at St. Michael's Parish House in Lyons, NY at 2 p.m. If you are in the Northern Finger Lakes area or Wayne County, we hope you'll stop by and consider traveling with us.

Later that evening, I'll be giving a Lenten presentation "Lent in Prayer and Song" at St. John's Church in Clyde, NY. The same invitation holds true. Thanks to Sr. Diane Dennie, the pastoral administrator of St. Felix, St. John and St. Michael's for inviting me to share my music and witness at this parish Lenten program.

May God abundantly bless you and those you love during the holy season of Lent.

March 1, 2009 - The Qualities of an Effective Pastoral Leader

There is a story that a church once had an opening for a new pastor. The parishioners listed the qualities that they believed to be essential for their new pastor. When the position was posted, not even Jesus could meet their requirements.

A few weeks ago, I asked parishioners at a Sunday Coffee Hour to take part in a similar exercise. About 40 responses were given. Each reflected the unique and diverse opinions that make up our parish family. One person wanted their new leader to be a great liturgist and homilist. Some wanted shorter Masses. A couple wanted someone who didn’t mix politics with religion. (I assume the later was a response to my bulletin column on my hope for our new president.). The comments were included in the parish profile that will be available to interested candidates.

A few months ago at a meeting of pastoral administrators, someone offered for our reflection their notes from a talk given by Albany’s Bishop Howard Hubbard. Bishop Howard was speaking to priests and pastoral leaders on the qualities needed by effective contemporary pastoral leaders in the Church today. Here’s the qualities that he listed:

1. A Visionary Leader

2. With a deep and abiding trust in God.

3. A person willing to embrace the cross (for leaders must surely struggle with of their responsibility and the inevitable failures.)

4. A person of joy. (The leader must possess a sense of humor and a “ruthless sense of personal humility.”)

5. A person of evangelical daring. (No cowardly spirits need apply.)

6. Flexibility and openness to change. (A person who views with wonder and awe - the unfolding of the new.)

7. A Collegial and collaborative leader (able to bridge the tension that arises between institution and community. The ideal and the pastoralreality.)

8. A healer and reconciler. (We are a pluralistic church and as such will constantly be in need of healing and reconciliation.)

9. Willing to adapt a simple lifestyle. Few get rich from giving their lives to ministry. The effective leader models the joy living with the expectation that God will meet their needs if they keep up with Jesus and not the Joneses.)

10. A person of prayer. (One of the crisis of our age is lost spirituality.

How do these attributes stack up to your expectations of your new pastoral leader?

Have a good week. Serve each other well.

Deacon Ray

Lands of the Bible Cruise

On November 11, 2009, you are invited to join Deacon Ray and Pat Defendorf and pastoral leaders from throughout the Diocese on a twelve-day Cruise to the “Lands of the Bible”.

Our itinerary includes an over-night flight to Athens where we will visit the Acropolis and the biblical city of Corinth before boarding the mv Cristal, a new 471 passenger cruise ship. We’ll dock at Port Said for a visit to Cairo (the Egyptian Museum and the Pyramids at Giza) then on to the port of Ashod in Israel. For two days we’ll visit sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem returning to the ship each evening for dinner and overnight.

Our next port is Haifa where we’ll disembark to tour the Galilee with stops at the Mount of the Beatitudes, Tabgha (the site of the miracle of the loaves and fish), a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and renew our baptismal vows at the Jordan River.

After a day at sea we’ll visit the Isle of Patmos where John wrote Revelations and then to Ephesus, Turkey where St. Paul established a Christian community on his first missionary journey. After a visit to Piraeus we’ll return to Athens for our return trip home.

The price of this journey of a lifetime(including roundtrip airfare, chartered cruise ship, guided shore excursions, daily breakfast, lunch and dinner while aboard ship, study guide, entrance fees and deluxe motorcoaches), starts at $2398 plus taxes, tips and fees.

Follow this link to download our itinerary:
http://www.deaconray.com/travel.htm

This cruise is expected to sell out so early reservations are very important. For more information and a brochure, please contact me by email or phone (607-426-1100).

Serve one another well!

(Click Here For Sent To Serve Archives)

Bulletin: March 1, 2009