A Vocational Vision, 20 Years Developed

I was ordained into ministry in the United Church of Christ on January 23, 2005. I will celebrate 20 years of ordination in a few days. I have taken this milestone as an invitation to reflect not only on my journey so far, but who and where I am at present and who I wish to become in the next 20 years of this vocation.

Leading up to this anniversary, my chosen word for the year, Center, has loomed large. I’ve only been living with this word for a few weeks, and it seems highly appropriate that I apply it to this moment. I’ve approached it as an opportunity to examine what has centered me in the practice of ministry, as well as what I wish to have center me going forward.

The other day, a friend shared a vision board that she had created to guide her through the year. For the unfamiliar, a vision board is a series of images and words arranged together to help one be inspired and make manifest one’s hopes and plans for one’s life. There are a variety of materials one can use and ways one may focus this activity: you can print out images or cut pictures out of existing media, you can use poster board or something more sturdy, you can direct the focus of your arrangement on your personal life or professional life. The link above goes into much greater detail about how to approach the concept.

I decided that I would create a vision board to explore what is at my vocational center. This would include elements that have sustained and grounded me so far, as well as those I aspire to include in the future.

At first, I leafed through the pile of magazines and newspapers I keep in my basement studio. Other than a few words and phrases, they yielded little results. So I then turned to searching for images online, including a few recent photos shared by friends on social media that have stuck with me. Once I collected these in a single computer folder, I uploaded them to CVS and picked them up in a nearby store location.

The act of arranging everything on my poster board took on a meditative spirit. With Jennifer Knapp’s Kansas album playing in the background, I discerned what elements would fit best together, and glued them on one by one. The result is pictured above.

Rather than go through each element individually, I’ll instead briefly summarize the spirit of the sections that comprise the whole:

• Tattooed arms under a cross at the center – How I see myself in a nutshell. For mainliners/progressives, you get one guess as to who pops up when you Google “tattooed pastor.”
• Lightbulb, pulpit, writing, instruments, and sheet music – I hold creative expression in high regard, in both ministry in particular and life in general. I love engaging in creative possibilities, and I feel stifled and bored when they’re absent or discouraged.
• Ministers collaborating at a picnic table, a collection of ordained pastors, communion – I value collaboration in ministry and in the church as a spiritual community. I have a tendency to want to go things alone, and when I do I have not often been at my best. I am glad for opportunities to minister alongside others because we each may support one another and complement each other’s gifts and passions. We are better in community than alone.
• Rainbow flag, pastors dancing, a silly Jesus mug – Playfulness and authenticity. I have never wished to approach ministry in a stiff, buttoned-up manner. I value humor, informality, mischief, and lighthearted irreverence in order to engage others, question and play with tradition, and challenge rigid, unjust, and harmful beliefs and practices. I’ve long found spirited and whimsical honesty to be an important tool for transformation.
• Labyrinth, meditation, candle – I’m a trained spiritual director because I believe regular prayer practices can center and change us gradually over time. I’ve long been passionate about helping churches–who often know a tiny sliver of possibilities in this realm–to explore a wider variety of options. They’ve been worthwhile for me, and I want to share that with others.
• Man in an airport, man with a backpack, my friend George wearing a church shirt at a public event – Both as a pastor and in my current position, I’ve loved opportunities to explore new places and events. One of the big reasons I like attending wider church events, for instance, is the opportunity to explore a new city. I think that doing so helps widen my view of the world, and chances to serve as a representative of my ministry in such spaces also keeps me mindful of my witness to the world beyond workplace walls.
• Baptismal font, ocean – I love water, and these two images represent ways in which I find water sacred and holy. They call me to remember my identity as part of the divine and as part of creation. “Be like water” is part of a Bruce Lee quote noting the importance of flowing with one’s surroundings and situation.
• Doctor of Ministry – I think I’m getting closer to pursuing one. So I stuck this on there for inspiration.

So included at my center are creativity, community, playfulness, spiritual practice, exploration, and water symbology. These have each played a role in my first 20 years of ministry. I hope to continue incorporating them, and I also look forward to discovering others as this journey continues.