By Maureen Wright

As many of you know, I spent most of the two weeks between April 29 and May 10 traveling. I attended the Synod of the Trinity’s EP Forum and the Board of Pensions’ Season of Rebuilding event, both in Philadelphia. I also attended the Association of Mid Council Leaders’ Presbytery Leader Formation Residency in Schuyler, Nebraska. It is not surprising that the words of one of the constitutional questions for ordination – as minister of the Word and Sacrament, ruling elder, and deacon – surfaced in conversation and worship multiple times. All those being ordained and/or installed are asked, “Will you pray for and seek to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love?” (Book of Order, W-4.0404h) There were times that I was asked to consider deeply and seriously what these words mean as I seek to serve Jesus Christ as your Transitional General Presbyter and Stated Clerk. There were times that I was asked to think about the work of all Presbyterian leaders as they seek to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love. There were times when this phrase evoked laughter amongst those gathered; there were times when it evoked tears. The Spirit was definitely at work in these conversations.

Many of you have been asked the question and answered, “I will.” For others, you may have been present when your pastor, ruling elders, and/or deacons have been asked the question. Perhaps you have even seen t-shirts or mugs that state: energy, intelligence, imagination, and love.

I have been thinking about what the words energy, intelligence, imagination, and love mean in this Season of Discernment and time of transition.

What does it mean for the people, leaders, and churches of the Presbytery to serve with energy? The Merriam Webster online dictionary offers multiple definitions beginning with energy as a dynamic quality, the capacity of acting or being active, a usually positive spiritual force. It goes on, adding vigorous exertion of power – effort, as well as a fundamental entity of nature that is transferred between parts of a system in the production of physical change within the system and usually regarded as the capacity for doing work. The final definition is usable power. Rarely have I read the definition of a word and concluded that all the entries apply to that which I am seeking to describe. What it does it mean for the people of God to serve with energy? God’s people act with power to engage in God’s work. Energy empowers us to immerse ourselves in mission and ministry, to work for the Kingdom of God in our communities, West Virginia, and beyond.

What does it mean for the people, leaders, and churches of the Presbytery to serve with intelligence? Intelligence goes beyond measuring a leader’s IQ, academic success, and how many degrees one has earned. Serving with intelligence allows leaders in the church to seek to serve – pray, study, discern, make decisions, plan – by exploring the breadth of issues, seeking to hear the perspectives of multiple leaders. Serving with intelligence challenges leaders to seek to understand and be informed by the lenses of the biblical, theological, financial, spiritual, worshipful, emotional, and social context implications of decisions and actions. Serving with intelligence recognizes that the Spirit leads the people of God whenever we gather and recognize that all bring gifts of intelligence to serve God, from toddlers who model curiosity to youth and young adults who boldly accept new ways of being to older adults who ground us in our history.

What does it mean for the people, leaders, and churches of the Presbytery to serve with imagination? Imagination allows us to lead with creativity; it is the place for new ideas, for “out of the box” thinking. Imagination invites us to envision that which does not yet exist. Imagination is the root of resilience in our leadership, the place from which vitality grows and ministry flourishes. Imagination invites us to connect our faith and our work for God’s Kingdom to poetry and literature, to print and visual media, to fine art, to drama. Imagination allows us to play, to try on new expressions of worship, to experience God in ways that inform our leadership beyond our minds. Imagination can lead us to a willingness to try new things and a willingness to fail. Imagination allows for a deep well of meeting the Spirit.

What does it mean for the people, leaders, and churches of the Presbytery to serve with love? Serving the people of God with love is both the most understood and the least understood. To serve with love turns us to Jesus, the Christ who gave his life for the redemption of God’s people, whose life, death, and resurrection is perfect love. Love calls us to generosity and forbearance. Love asks us to lead with forgiveness, with inclusion. Love demands that we go beyond classifying people into us and them. Love calls us to see all people as children of God. Love beckons us beyond ideology, politics, economics, and geography. Leading with love challenges us to love as Christ loves.

What does it mean to serve with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love in this Season of Discernment and time of transition? God is calling all of us to act with power to engage in God’s Kingdom work. It invites us to bring our intellect, but also recognize that to act with intelligence is a spiritual act that includes the lenses of the bible, theology, finance, worship, emotion, and social context. As we lead, God challenges us to bring our creativity, to listen for the Spirit as we worship and play. Finally, to lead with love, a love that shows the world who God is without ever uttering a word. God calls us to serve in ways that reflect that we are resurrection people. May those who witness our journey – from what we have known to the new place to which God is leading – meet God in our energy, intelligence, imagination, and love.