Pastor's Life - Embracing Peace

Embracing Peace Among the Chaos by Rev. Dr. Andy Kort Life within the church is amazing. It often feels like a constant juggling act, or maybe a balancing act, of so many things. For example, currently I am working on items for worship in the coming week, meeting with people over their current concerns, and responding to the never-ending flurry of emails. I am also thinking about the upcoming stewardship campaign, and the work of nominating new officers for the coming years, and then there is Advent and Christmas too. This is the work of the rhythm of the year, one that is not unfamiliar to many. Maybe "tension" is a good word for it, as we try to hold all of this together. I cannot help feel this tension when I read the call in Philippians to "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice." On the one hand, this is a stunningly beautiful reminder to remember the goodness of God, as the Lord is near. On the other hand, I find that it is really hard to always rejoice, especially when so much pulls at me to complain. There is the frustration of traffic and road construction when I am in a hurry on my way to a meeting or a visit. There is the frustration of not having enough volunteers at the church, of watching my to-do pile grow instead of shrink. There is the frustration that so much is beyond my ability to control. And yet the call is to "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice."

Rev. Dr. Andy Kort serves as co-pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Annapolis, Md. graduated from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. He received his Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and his Doctor of Ministry degree from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Prior to his time in Annapolis, he served as Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Bloomington, IN. Before that, Andy served as Pastor of Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Phillipsburg, NJ and Associate Pastor of Larchmont Avenue Church in Larchmont, NY.

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