It - Ministry Of Word

What is the “it” you’re speaking of,
She asked when push became a shove
And force to move had faced a wall,
“I just don’t know”, had said it all.

“I know it (right brained now I’d say),
And yet I don’t (left-brain-ish way);”
But that was back in eighty-one
Or so – my journey’d just begun.

I see it now – “ ‘it’s’ ministry
Of word – that’s done successfully,
In world today with many groups,
Which mix together the soup”.

“I’ll do it in another way”,
I said to her that tearful day;
“I said I would”, “I’ll finish up”,
“I’ll drink to lees this questing cup”.

’Twas years before I saw the light
At tunnel’s end, which now shines bright;
I got the parts, and wrote it up –
New Glossop books – though somewhat rough.

That gave a break – they summarized
The picture parts I’d real-ized;
Then TCK, about Ap. Min.,
Emerged, though it was paper-thin.

Then cancer gave me poetry,
As I sought opportunity
To capture steps of the journey through,
And share what other folks might do.

Then came “the shift to heavenlies
As locus” – where we’d  plainly see
Big picture of our task at hand,
And where we need to take a stand.

Along came this decision day,
Which clearly showed the interplay
Of factors past – and presently
I’ll do it all successfully.

The “it”? Again ‘it’s’ ministry
Of word – that’s done successfully,
In world today with many groups
Which mix together in the soup.

For in this present day and age,
Where economics is the rage,
There’s so much more which must be done,
To help our people have some fun.

Now I can see my website’s place;
I see my novels as a case
In point, though just the first time through –
What I would do, if I could do.

Nice thing about the make-believe,
Mistakes we make we need not leave
For other folks to mop up, then
Move on – once more begin again.

It’s like a simulation ride,
Before a pilot steps inside
The cockpit of an aeroplane,
He gets to crash – then try again.

“Last chapter’s when it falls in place”
He said, “For me, in any case;
If it’s confusing, that’s okay,
He’ll guide you through the narrow way”.

So here we are – at last I see
How it all works, how it will be;
Each piece tried out; each weakness found,
So we can stand on solid ground.

It lacked a unifying piece,
So critical for my release
Into the future, it was there
Back at the first, half of the pair –

“And sacrament” (some add a third
“Pastoral care”, though understood
By those of us of sixties crowd,
The social scene that term allowed).

The challenge was a shift took place,
Old paradigms were best replaced,
Because they did not carry freight,
Midst pressure to participate –

In custom-process used for years
I tried – result was mixed with tears;
So too, a multitude of staff,
Effectiveness reduced by half –

Or more – like maybe ninety-eight
Percent – who knows? At any rate,
I see it now – the books spell out
New paradigm without a doubt.

I said to them, “All clergy should
Be EDO’s – if so, that would
Solve problems facing rural life
Efficiently – reducing strife.

It’s not we all would operate
The same – for few participate
In ministry as others do;
This paradigm should give a clue –

Of how to rebuild ministry
In rural life, so it can be
Enriching source of life for those,
Who raise what then to market goes.

So what part’s left for me to do?
How best to share these concepts new,
So they can work into the mix,
And church as institution fix?

That’s “ministry”, to me, “of word” –
Ensuring helpful concept’s heard,
In ways that can be plugged right in,
And paradigm that’s new begin.

That is the task that’s facing me;
The ‘what’ and ‘why’ (the ‘how’ I see);
As I progress – what it’s about
For me – my task, without a doubt.

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