Happy Easter! We are now in the midst of the Church’s Annual festive fifty days celebrating our new life in Christ. We also are at the midway point of my time with you at St. Stephen’s. This is the perfect time to raise again the questions I asked on my very first Sunday: Who are you and why are you here?

A transition time such as this one provides space for evaluating your mission and purpose. Of course, in this Season of Easter, the bigger mission comes through in our liturgy and music. On Easter Day we re-affirmed our Baptismal Covenant as a community. We not only affirmed our faith in the Risen Lord, but we promised again that we would continue to come together as Christ’s body as we do every week on the Lord’s Day. We committed to continuing in the Christian life even when we don’t do it perfectly. We said we would proclaim by both word and example the good news of God in Christ; we would seek and serve Christ in all persons and strive for justice and peace among all people respecting the dignity of every human being. These are the big picture answers to my two questions, who are you and why are here? Every community needs to incarnate these promises in their specific context.

There’s an old story about St. Peter fleeing the persecution of the early Christians in Rome. As he

headed out of town, he saw Jesus going the other direction. Peter asked him, where are you going Lord? Jesus replied that since Peter was leaving his brothers and sisters in Rome, he was going there to die again with the other martyrs. Peter got the message and went back to join his brothers and sisters. Peter’s question of Jesus as he walks on ahead of Peter has always struck me. Where are you going Lord? Where are you headed and how are you asking me to follow you? Those are questions of the moment for the disciples of Jesus here at St. Stephens. These are questions of discernment. It is simpler to conduct business as usual, continuing to do the same projects, maintain the buildings. It’s more difficult to ask where are you going Lord? What new things will emerge? What old things will be laid aside?

While I’m here with you only for a few more months, part of my job is to ask you and your Vestry to continue engaging these questions. I believe the Holy Spirit is already at work here getting you ready for a new Pentecost; for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the work you have been given to do.