Chasing the Wild Goose

by Pastor Joyce O’Connor-Magee

Over the last few years I have been invited to do many weddings for happy couples who found each other through websites like e-harmony and match.com. Those networking sites give couples a chance to get to know each other in new and deeper ways, finding a foundation of mutual interests and values. Often we are surprised at how well those matches work!  As new pastor and congregation we have been brought together in a similar social network which one hopes has as good if not better track record of making good matches, namely our Bishop and the Cabinet.  Through the Staff Parish Committee they come to know about the gifts, graces and personality of pastors and congregations.  One of the most important and most difficult tasks of the Cabinet is to match about 250 churches with about 225 pastors - it is a daunting yet creative task. 

And so we begin together.  As we come to know each other we will learn of each other’s stories...how we came to faith and what has led us to Fairwood.  In the next months hopefully we, like those couples who met on line, will learn to dance together, to harmonize with each other and this is really important - laugh together. 

Here are the match.com type questions for a new pastor:

1. How did you come to faith?  My mom was my first theologian as my first Sunday School teacher. My brother would read Bible stories to me.  It was through Fowler Methodist Church in Spokane I came to know myself as a beloved child of God. Also being involvement in camping ministry has always been part of my life of faith.

2. What do you like the most in ministry?  I love being surprised by a new word from the Bible - finding ancient wisdom for modern times.

3. Who else is in your family? My husband and best friend of 14 years, Tom Magee; our two fabulous grown up daughters, Nicole and Jessica; my mom and mentor Claris and my big brother Bill who lives in Sumner.  I would be amiss not to mention our cat, Scout and darling Corgi, Dylan.

4. What concerns you about moving to Renton? Getting lost, literally! It may be time for GPS!

5. What excites you about coming to Fairwood?  The opportunity to serve a healthy proudly progressive church which sees diversity as a gift and mission as a necessity of a growing faith.

6. The last movie you saw?  Toy Story 3?

7. Favorite food?  Dark chocolate raspberry creams from Sees (hint hint)

8. When will you be here? I am the Camp Pastor for Twinlow the first week of July so our first Sunday together will be July 11.  I look forward to seeing all of you then!

Until then let us hold one another in prayer that the Holy Spirit will bless all of us in this new journey of faith.