Last night in prayer, remembering the events of the last night of Jesus’ life, my mind rested on the scene at the Garden of Gethsemane. There, Jesus took three of his disciples and went off a ways from the rest of the group for a period of intimate prayer. He told his three companions, “Watch and pray,” and then left them to pray alone.
I remember the first time this phrase, “Watch and pray,” took on special significance for me. It was Lent 2008 and we had been living in Placerville for one year. During that year we had visited several churches but hadn’t found one we liked. Between the two of us I am the one who treasures a liturgical service, and I was feeling the absence of this element in worship. Still without a church home that Lent, I was praying about the possibility of planting a more liturgical, contemplative-style church in Placerville. Might God bring this to pass? Might I be a part of bringing it to fruition? It was during one of these periods of prayer that I sensed God say to me, “Watch and pray.”
This phrase is steeped in meaning as it relates to the Passion scene that was about to unfold in Jesus’ life, as well as the lives of His disciples. “Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation,” Jesus said. Lest you become apathetic, disillusioned, or give up hope. But for a moment there was also a message for me: “As you consider starting a church…as you ask in prayer for My blessing…watch and pray.”
The following year we did find a wonderful little Baptist church to attend, full of friendly people who love Jesus. We made ourselves at home there. But we are all wired differently, and in the ensuing years I continued to sense a sharp need for a different kind of worship experience. All the while, I never forgot to watch and pray about a liturgical church in the area.
In fact I did more than that. Because our last church in Orange County was Presbyterian, I thought any church plant would be of that variety. So I actively pursued the possibility of starting a church with two different Presbyterian groups, but for various reasons both efforts failed. I felt discouraged and wondered if I had heard God’s “word” correctly as it related to my desire to help start up a church here. Was I still to watch and pray? Well, I had exhausted my ideas and my energy…there was nothing else I could do.
Funny how things work out. As more time passed, I began working on my next book and all of the reading that involves. I began noticing that many of the authors I turn to time and again were/are Anglican: C.S. Lewis, N.T. Wright and J.I. Packer among others. A longtime favorite prayer, spoken daily, was written by Lancelot Andrewes, another Anglican, I discovered. So far I still didn’t know a whole lot about the Anglican tradition but I had attended an Anglican service a few times while in Orange County and loved it. So I decided to learn more. Among my reading pile was “The Anglican Way” by Father Thomas McKenzie (who I later learned is a regular contributor to a favorite blog called The Rabbit Room…small world!). I really liked what I learned.
Then last fall I did something on a whim. I called an Anglican church in Roseville to ask if there are any Anglican churches in El Dorado County. During that conversation I learned that God had been orchestrating events and contacts behind the scenes for quite some time, bringing individuals together with a common goal of starting a congregation of Anglicans in Placerville. But so far none of them lived here. I felt like the missing link. At the end of that conversation I was asked: “Have you ever considered planting a church?”
Over the past five months a lot has happened. The flood gates are beginning to open and in the not so distant future, I believe, Placerville will see its first Anglican evening service of prayer. If you watch my FB page you’ll hear more as the time approaches.
A lot has been happening within me, too. I am becoming Anglican. It is the church “fit” I have been looking for, for many years.
I am grateful to, and want to thank Placer Heights Baptist Church for accepting and loving me through this “incubation period” I have been going through. Jack and I will continue attending on Sunday mornings and participating in your fellowship for as long as possible. You will always be in my prayers.
Blessed Good Friday!