This afternoon I spent time with folk I hadn't met before. Both situations were requests from caring friends whom I do know. I certainly don't see myself as chaplain to Clarington but I'm glad to respond to situations where those without a pastor need to talk.
The couple wanted to talk about relationship stuff. Eventually we got around to God and how religion might be part of their lives. The conversation was serious and yet flowed easily. And we did manage to laugh along the way.
The other visit happened in a hospital. Someone who has been dealt a tough hand with cancer. He was willing to talk about faith and wondered if St. Paul's has a prayer list to which he could be added. I assured him we did and would. Before he was taken away for x-rays we prayed together. Oh yes -- we laughed.
As a Myers Briggs introvert it isn't my natural inclination to meet people for the first time but I appreciated these encounters. While there is a degree of risk for me I'm always impressed by the courage of others to go beneath the surface and into the deeper things of faith.
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