Identity & Communication Event held on 3-20-2004 "Tell 'em Who You Are!" | |
Fairy Tale
Bob Cassels of the Association Council offers “The Comma’s Dream”
Once upon a time there was a small, squiggly
comma who lived in the great family of punctuation marks. There were so many marks in the family, the
comma often felt lost and inconsequential.
People seemed just to slide over it, with perhaps a slight pause, and
then keep on going.
The
comma envied the period. The period was
bold and seemed so decisive and final.
People stopped and paid attention to the period.
Then
one day a delightful woman, who often seemed rather silly, said something very
profound that the comma would never forget:
“Never place a period where God has placed a
comma.” [Gracie Allen]
The
comma felt so proud and important.
Might
God actually choose or even – dare the comma imagine this – prefer a comma to
the bold and conversation-stopping period?
Why?
The
comma thought a great deal about this.
Then one night – was it in a dream, or was it, could it have been real –
the comma found itself in the presence of God.
God
spoke lovingly to the comma. God
explained that the world God created was filled with unfolding potential. People were still growing and discovering in
the world – especially
- about how to get along
with and take care of the world and each other, and
- about how to live
faithfully with God.
God
wanted the comma to become a symbol for this – for creativity in thought and
relationship and action and, most of all, in matters of faith. The comma was ideally suited to encourage
creativity and growth and to link people, nature, ideas and faith together.
The
comma beamed with pride.
Then
the comma was assailed with doubts. The
comma feared it could not live up to God’s expectations for it.
God
assured the comma that there would be others to help. Together they looked down one Tuesday evening and saw the New
Jersey Association Council meeting.
People representing many different churches and aspects of ministry were
sharing ideas – seeking ways to empower the vision embodied in the comma.
They encouraged local churches to cluster together to support
and stimulate one another and, when they could, to work together to make their
ministry stronger.
They planned meetings bringing the people of the various and
variegated local churches together to worship, to pray, to learn and to
encourage one another. These meetings
were a place where the people could also feel part of a larger whole and
understand the work of the church beyond the local parish
They worked to make sure that funding was available, thanks to
money given by the local churches and the denomination, for the projects and
ministries of the church.
With the help of the Central Atlantic Conference, the Council linked
itself and its churches to the wider church – receiving and giving
support. Indeed, the Area Conference
Minister was a vital force in giving support to local churches and ministers
and keeping the Council informed and energized about the work of the wider church.
And the Conference
Minister himself often made his was up to New Jersey to share and to encourage
its people. Some members of the
Council also sat on the Conference Board of Directors.
Now
the comma became very excited and hopeful.
The vision could live and become what God hoped.
Then
God told the comma that there was more.
There were commissions and committees and individuals that were part of
the Council and the Association that were at work all the time in a variety of
faithful ministries.
God
wanted the comma to be a part of the excitement and the challenge. God wanted the comma to represent all of
this.
The
comma could hardly wait to do its part.