Saying Yes

Dear Inner Circle,

Thank you for the outpouring of love after my ordination as a Minister last weekend and thanks if you joined us online. It truly was a recognition of the power of community, even though there appeared to be one person at the centre. We are simply a product of the people in our tribe, so as part of our precious Inner Circle, you have all made me who I am through your love and belief in Wayside Chapel, our mission and my role here. There has always been a strong legacy left by those who have served at the helm, but like all of them, I give my best when I know that I am significant, necessary, but not central to Wayside’s mission.

Looking around the room at the ceremony and reading the comments after Saturday’s events was overwhelming. I found myself being struck by the thought of “what on earth do this eclectic bunch of guests share in common?” Most groups gather on strength, success and power, reinforcing the world of the “us and thems”. However, it struck me that all of us present were knit together through the common losses, grief and heartaches that had broken us open to a deeper kind of love. Every. Single. One. Together we formed a soaring tower of weakness, one that through death, knows how to really live. It is my view that success has little to teach us beyond the age of 30, and we know that any lesson worth learning is hidden in grief, loss and pain – all the things we try and run from. I thank you all for staying with the pain, through it we grow and connect as a community and have found each other, and look at what a beautiful thing we are building together.

“What do we call you now?” someone heckled from the crowd. “How about Jon?” I replied. Later, another person approached me and quipped, “I don’t want to call you Father, how about Daddy instead?” We both burst into laughter, the irreverence of being a Reverend at Wayside is obvious and unparalleled. Hidden in all the big events of the day was a highlight, that came as always in the middle of a classic Wayside six-way conversation, the details so small it could almost be missed as a throw-away line. One of our visitors who had lived in survival mode for years and hence only viewed the world through the narrow lens of threat or ally, was speaking about how he had recently witnessed the development of his niece, “She knows how to share at 6 months, can you believe that? When she sucks her thumb she looks at me and offers me her other thumb too!” It reminded me that on the journey towards life our vision expands, and opens us up to one of the most beautiful of emotions – delight.

Finally, my predecessor, Rev. Graham Long and his wife Robyn, are moving away from Sydney this week for some well-earned rest in retirement. Graham has taught us all and lived out the truth that so much good is unleashed into the world when we say “Yes!” So with this there is a sense of gratitude, and divine timing that I become ordained, just as he moves onto the next stage of his life. We are grateful for your “Yes!” and we will continue to live your legacy forward.

Thank you for seeing what we see, our Inner Circle,

Jon

Rev. Jon Owen
Pastor & CEO
Wayside Chapel