When I was a freshman, I joined the same sorority as my RA. When this happened, she pulled myself, and the other two shiny new sisters that lived in our hall, aside to tell us this:
"Make no mistake, as your RA, I'm not going to be easier on you because you're my sisters. In fact, it'll be the opposite. I'll crack down even harder, because I love you and therefore expect more from you."
Because that's what truly loving something is...wanting it to improve and be the best it can be. That's definitely the tone that was set tonight at our first gathering of the Way Forward Commission. All of us come from various backgrounds and have different experiences with PC(USA). All of us acknowledge that there are things we need to fix about our denomination. BUT all of us are also excited and up for the challenge of working towards this goal, and we will thrive due to the fact that all of us love God, each other, and the Presbyterian Church so so much.
Good relationships don't thrive in the absense of conflict, they thrive in resolving conflict together. And what relationship is greater than that of the one we have with our church? As I've said time and time again, I so love Presbyterianism for the fact that we do everything we can, including sending a commission to New York City, to learn and converse together.
I have so much hope that we're going to come out on the other side of this stronger and more Christ-like than ever.
I'm excited.
Other thoughts:
When we got back from dinner, we sat in the lobby and talked for a bit. I got to hear about other peoples' experiences in Cuba, and was even told by one commissioner that his dream would be to vice-moderate General Assembly with someone like me as the moderator. That was a nice pick-me-up in the context of everything else going on in my life. So that was cool.
More to come.
"Make no mistake, as your RA, I'm not going to be easier on you because you're my sisters. In fact, it'll be the opposite. I'll crack down even harder, because I love you and therefore expect more from you."
Because that's what truly loving something is...wanting it to improve and be the best it can be. That's definitely the tone that was set tonight at our first gathering of the Way Forward Commission. All of us come from various backgrounds and have different experiences with PC(USA). All of us acknowledge that there are things we need to fix about our denomination. BUT all of us are also excited and up for the challenge of working towards this goal, and we will thrive due to the fact that all of us love God, each other, and the Presbyterian Church so so much.
Good relationships don't thrive in the absense of conflict, they thrive in resolving conflict together. And what relationship is greater than that of the one we have with our church? As I've said time and time again, I so love Presbyterianism for the fact that we do everything we can, including sending a commission to New York City, to learn and converse together.
I have so much hope that we're going to come out on the other side of this stronger and more Christ-like than ever.
I'm excited.
Other thoughts:
When we got back from dinner, we sat in the lobby and talked for a bit. I got to hear about other peoples' experiences in Cuba, and was even told by one commissioner that his dream would be to vice-moderate General Assembly with someone like me as the moderator. That was a nice pick-me-up in the context of everything else going on in my life. So that was cool.
More to come.