The interviews for Summer Program Staff to work at the Annual Conference’s Camps were led by the conference camping director, the directors of the three conference camps, the conference lay leaders, the president of the conference UMW and three clergy tossed in for good measure. All representatives of WPA Annual Conference power. Along with “If your best friend was asked to describe you, what five adjectives would she/he say?” The other question I remember is “What is your favorite Bible story and why?” I was twenty-years old; I had not prepared for that question. My fellow interviewees reverted to their childhood Sunday School lessons and most of them said Noah’s Ark. I went with the Nativity. If I was asked that question today, I would say LUKE 15 the story of losing and finding.
As the great storyteller, Jesus builds the narrative of lost and found raising the significance of what is lost from money to livelihood to a person. For many of us, we can relate to each example.
When one can’t find their car keys or wallet, a mis-placed folder, a book ---- there is frustration.
When one faces layoff and losing a job ---- there is fear.
When on loses a person --- there is fracturing.
The story arc of the chapter is the movement from lost to found; the relaxation of tension when the lost item is found; the exhale of relief when being called back to work or finding a new job; the hope found and possibility present when a relationship is restored.
Losing and finding and celebrating is central to the Christian story. We each have lived experiences of the roles featured in the chapter’s culminative story of the prodigal.
· We’ve known and expressed boldly a love that is passionate more than practical
· We’ve judged, we’ve been part of the “pew posse” that circles and defends the space keeping out whomever we define as “those people.”
· We’ve strayed, we’ve been arrogant living in the realm of “all about me” and spent the currency of ourselves and our self-respect and dignity on trying to find ourselves and fill the “God-shaped hole” in our lives.
· We’ve named our failings, owned our mistakes and returned to the person or community we hurt and hoped for, needed a safe, soft place to land and be and rest and renew.
· By the WOW and wonder of God’s grace we’ve found the grace for which we long.
That grace….even more than finding grace….have we offered grace, been grace to another?