On Thursday, September 20, 2014, St. Basil presented a Parish Development Proposal that promises to transform our faith community. In a word, it will be how we
relate to one another that will transform our community.
Professional organizer Anna Eng facilitated our evening and led us through St. Paul?s experience of the Church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 11:17-34) asking us to reflect on what lessons can we learn from the early church and what do these lessons teach us about St. Basil?s Parish Community today. In summary, St. Paul was writing to the Church in Corinth about divisions within the Corinth community and how those divisions came to expression in connection with their practice of the Lord's Supper. That is, what should have been a bond of mutual love and affection was made an instrument of discord and self-aggrandizement. St. Paul warned against this behavior and called the Church at Corinth to a higher level of maturity and authenticity ? to be the ?mind of Christ (2:12-16) as a means to build-up community identity.
After our reflection on the Church in Corinth, we gathered into two groups and worked through a reflective exercise that helped us use one of the greatest achievements from our rich prophetic tradition - which is the capacity for self-critique. We essentially asked ourselves, if St. Basil the Great is so great, then why is it that _______________?, and what might we need to change _______________??
you fill-in the blanks. At the end of the evening, the lesson learned was that all growth in spiritual development begins with a capacity for self-awareness. That is, we must know ourselves before we can be of any service to others which is the foundation of any honest, mature and life-giving relationship. If a Parish Development Proposal is first rooted in
relationship then the mission of the Church at St. Basil will take care of itself. We will be able to accomplish anything. I truly see the Parish Development Proposal as a critical turning point in the development of our faith community.
I prayerfully urge all parish leadership to speak with members of our parish Common Ground Team and become familiar with the Parish Development Proposal and to attend the training events on October 21, November 19 and December 4, details of which will be coming soon.