Nets
Despite ICE's corny yet offensive use of fishing metaphors to dehumanize people, nets actually are a great metaphor - for ministry, that is. Jesus’s lovely choice of fishermen for his first disciples still speaks wisdom to us. As we examined our budget during our congregational meeting on Sunday, we were also designing our ministry for the year! Why should churches be like nets? Nets get in the water. We need to go out to people where they are and then invite them in. Nets are also right-sized to catch the fish that are out there now, not those who might have been there in the past. The cultural waters we swim in today are full of people who feel alienated from faith, but who still crave the safety net of a loving community. Good Shepherd draws people in with Jesus’s message of grace, meeting them at the right time and the right place to make a difference in their lives. And then THEY become fishers of people!
So let’s examine the size of the holes in our net, to make sure we are casting for an inclusive group of people. Let’s make sure we know in our own souls the truth that other souls need to hear. Let’s make sure we are examining our net for old theology that no longer fits our mission. Like a net, our church can get worn down and frayed over time. In fishing, the strategy isn't to catch all the fish in one throw and break the net, but to throw the net over and over again. Ministry must always be carefully examined for holes so it can go the distance. Let’s tend to the spots in our souls or relationships where we are feeling frayed, in need of repair and rest. Let’s be menders of the entire fabric of community that is around us, especially when it is under threat.
One last note about nets - nets are also permeable. They let other people in, but they also let individuals come and go. At Good Shepherd we have seen a lot of people go over the years, and a lot of new people have come in. This is how it should be. When Jesus called his disciples to be fishers of men, he wasn’t talking about capturing people literally! Duh! He was talking about capturing their imaginations. So when people leave us, they are never quite the same, in a good way.
with love, Pr. Chelsea
