Last night i had an interview with the Call Committee of congregation #3. This congregation is located about 20 miles south of downtown Seattle. As was the case with congregation #1 it was a dark stormy night when i arrived. Congregation #3 is very different from congregation #1. Congregation #3 has no priest as their last vicar retired and i am one of a handful of people that they are interviewing. This congregation has a lot going for it. It’s weekly attendance is twice as large as congregation #1. Its facility is much better than congregation #1. It has more money than congregation #1. It has much more support staff (congregation #1 has no support staff). Congregation #3 is poised to grow much faster than congregation #1. Any person would look at congregation #3 and say it is healthier. And that is true. And i had a great time talking to them about ministry and i believe they are fated to do some wonderful things and make some big moves. I think they are ready to explode in terms of growth.
However the question for me is: where am i being called to serve? That is more a question of where my heart is leading me. My head is telling me that it would be easier to serve as the priest of congregation #3 and i would be more likely to “succeed” in terms of growing the place at congregation #3. But in all truthfulness, my heart is leaning toward congregation #1 and doing so strongly. It will be by far the tougher challenge but that’s where i’m feeling called.
The way it looks right now congregation #1 will reach its decision before congregation #3. So if congregation #1 accepts the bishop’s deal then i will go there. If they don’t, then i’ll wait on congregation #3 and see what happens there.
