Dear Inner Circle,
There has been an outpouring of love flowing our way since Monday night’s airing of Australian Story. The show beautifully captured the joy and spirit of celebration that has been present around here since my recent succession as CEO and Pastor. It was the right combination of acknowledging the immense contribution of Graham and Robyn and anticipating the future. A warm and wet hug was planted on me first thing this morning with a confession, “Sorry pastor, but I thought you were a cleaner here the whole time!” If you didn’t get a chance to watch it, catch it on ABC iview here.[vc_row columns_on_tablet=”keep” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″][vc_column h_text_align=”left” h_text_align_mobile=”left” v_align=”v-align-middle” use_background=”” width=”1/1″][tm_image image_id=”1336″ link_image=”none” textarea_html_bkg_color=”#ffffff” caption_type=””][/tm_image][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row columns_on_tablet=”keep” padding_top=”50″ padding_bottom=”50″][vc_column h_text_align=”left” h_text_align_mobile=”left” v_align=”v-align-middle” use_background=”” width=”1/1″][tm_textblock textarea_html_bkg_color=”#ffffff”]Much of my life has been spent swinging between challenging and sometimes haunting questions. On the one hand there was, “Who do you think you are?” These words were often delivered with indignation and judgement by people who thought this dark-skinned, Indian boy was well out of place. When this question dominated, paralysis and self-loathing followed. The words often had undertones of mocking a kid who looked different and yet dared to exist. Looking back now on some of my weird haircuts and more outrageous behaviour, I recognise a desperate bid to be accepted.
On the other hand, my own recurring question was, “Who do I need to become?” I measured myself against the expectation of parents, teachers, and peers and somehow, a growing sense of destiny was formed, even though I couldn’t imagine or describe it. As I stepped in the direction of this unknown destiny, the question was posed not just in my own psychology but increasingly by my engagement in life. I’ll never forget nursing my new-born daughter and knowing with my whole being that I needed to become a father worthy of such a precious little girl. Again, this profound sense of responsibility came to me when a child from a family of asylum seekers asked if I could help because “I’m not ready to die yet!” Later, a woman who was living with a violent drunk, asked me, “Who will care for my kids if I leave?” I never felt I had the required wisdom to answer these questions as they were posed over and over again, but each time, they got my feet moving in the direction of my destiny.
I sat in a hospital room today and was asked by a young man to pray, so I held his head gently in my hands and whispered “Now unto the One who is able to keep you from falling…” He broke down and wept, as we sat together I asked the doctor what happened. She informed me that he had jumped off a bridge and somehow survived. After a moment of awkward silence we all burst out laughing together. We live through moments that swing from laughter to despair, but we live it together.
This Sunday is “Celebration Sunday“, if you are coming along please come up and say hello to both myself and Graham.
Thanks for being part of our inner circle,
Jon
Jon Owen
Pastor & CEO
Wayside Chapel
