During this time of transition until the new Dean joins the Cathedral (October 2006) , the clergy members of the Interim Team will contribute "Interim Ideas" to our newsletter (Saints Alive) to replace the regular Dean's corner. Here is the "Interim Ideas" for our Pentencost 2006 edition of Saints Alive.

Interim Ideas
By The Reverend Matthew Oliver, CD

You have all seen the process of making dough for baking.  When you do this using a mixer you basically dump all the various ingredients into a big bowl and then start the engine.  After a little time has passed the seemingly unrelated mess of butter, eggs, flour, water, oil and salt becomes smooth dough.  The process of conversion from separate ingredients into something for the oven is, regardless of how many times I watch it, a small miracle.

Baking can teach us something about times of interim ministry in a parish.  The unmixed ingredients, like a parish in transition, are in a period of uncertainty.  We may be able to make some guesses about what will come out of the oven at the end of the process but these are just guesses (they are in a liminal state).  These places of uncertainty are a bit like being lost in the boreal forest (having been lost there myself several times)…it doesn’t matter which way you turn the forest looks the same in all four directions.  Which way is the way home?
 
In a time of interim ministry we too are in the midst of that liminal place.  Before the change everything seemed to be going well, people smiled, there was certainty around every corner and life was good.  Then came the departure and we all realized, perhaps only just recently, that something big and important was gone.  Now things aren’t so sure and some of the smiles are a little forced.  It is chaotic and sometimes feels like we’re being mixed in a blender. 

What provides us assurance is that this is all normal.  We’re on a bit of an exodus journey and it is hard not to feel anxiety as we wander around in the wilderness.  Interim periods are characterised by uncertainty, confusion and sometimes even a touch of despair.  All of this is a part of the story of God’s people right from the beginning, starting with the departure from paradise (Genesis 3).  Final blessed assurance comes in Christ’s promise to be with us always: God will turn our confusion to joy (John 16:20). 

What makes this more challenging is that we are also grieving the loss of a dearly loved pastor.  Grief involves different emotions: denial (this really isn’t happening); anger (what have we done to deserve this?); despair (will it ever feel like home again?); and acceptance (we might as well get used to it).  We’ll also experience people acting a bit pricklier and previously little things will suddenly become major issues.  Each of us will share in this struggle… sometimes helping others (hopefully most often) and sometimes hurting our fellow travellers (hopefully not often at all).  God’s forgiveness is there for the asking whenever we need it.

As we experience our grief as individuals and as a community, and as we go through the mixing up that comes with transitions, we must never forget that we are Christians and people of faith.  We can be confident through the mixing up time that God is the one doing the mixing and that our Master Baker has something specific in mind for All Saints’ and for each of us.  Right now we just aren’t certain if we are becoming cookies, bran muffins or a marbled cheesecake. 

What is certain is that the intended result will be wonderful and guided by the Maker’s hand.  For those of us in the batter our task is to pray for ourselves and for each other.  There is a path from these endless woods that leads to the edge of a lake where a beautiful, brilliant sunrise is just rising.  Our faith is what will see us through to the wonderful new becoming that is our future, and our prayer that will guide us to that lake shore.