Dear Friends,
This week is Teacher Appreciation week, and I found myself thinking of the story in Luke 17 where Jesus cleansed ten lepers, but only one returned to thank him. So much of this story resonated with me and the work you have done this year:
Like Jesus, you have walked “the region between” this year. Between what was known and foreign. Between what was and what will be. Between grief and hope. Between letting go and holding on.
Like Jesus, you have entered into the hard places. You have learned technology you never knew existed. You have put in countless hours to make ministry happen because you have seen the pain, anxiety, grief and loneliness of young people. Even when you couldn’t get physically close, you found ways to reach out and bring healing through distanced visits, faith formation kits, Zoom calls, text messages, and so much more.
And like Jesus, you probably only heard the gratitude from one out of every ten youth or family. But here is what I want you to hear from this story. The other nine were still healed. Even Jesus is dumbfounded when he didn’t hear from them. But that didn’t diminish the transformation that happened in their lives. The work you did this year and the endless hours of reimagining ministry and developing new ways of being church made a difference. The Spirit was at work in and through you in ways we will never know or be thanked for.
Thank you. Thank you for all that you do to teach, encourage, inspire and nurture faith in young people. “I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayer for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion…” (Philippians 1:3-6)
Together in Christ,
Catherine Anderson
Synod Minister for Discipleship and Christian Community
