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Queensland Synod moderator, Rev David Baker. Photo: Ben Rogers
Queensland Synod Moderator, Rev David Baker. Photo: Ben Rogers

Turning our face towards Jerusalem

A few people have been saying to me, “Well, you’ve only got a few months to go, I guess you’re winding down”.

Anything but.

This is a big year of preparation and change in the life of our church.

The voice of the church through Project Plenty is an encouragement to all of us in the councils of the church to apply our hearts and minds with acumen and faith to how we can be more fruitful stewards of the call and the gifts God has given us.

We in the Synod are taking that seriously, and you’ll hear more about that in the days to come.

I ask you to engage with the next round of Project Plenty, hear what your sisters and brothers have been saying and add your piece, so we can discern more deeply together.

This Journey comes out as we are invited in our Sunday readings to “turn our face” with Jesus towards Jerusalem.

This is that part of the way of the cross that is “paying the price”. Letting go of the peripherals, the luxury of options. Being ready to do what has to be done.

Every life has these times. When it’s time to face something squarely, do what we can do, and then let go of the outcome; let be what will be.

It’s the strange mix of power and powerlessness that is at the heart of all our lives.

We have capacity to influence, to act, to speak, to model, to just do what we should do. We don’t really have any capacity at all to determine an outcome; that is always open.

But to not do what we should because we may not “win” is to lose something of our very essence, of our being made in the image of God. It is to withhold what may make all the difference.

We can’t see beyond the veil and we can’t control anyone but ourselves.

Yet the story of Jesus is that when this journey is committed to in faith, hope and love, many more things are possible than we could dream of …

Rev David Baker
Moderator
Queensland Synod

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