It’s peak summer. The lazy days of August are fast approaching and for some of us, vacation time is beckoning. This may seem like a strange time of year to be talking about work, but work has been on my mind this week for a couple of reasons.
First, we are starting a new group here at St. Bart’s called Forward Together. It is a support group for people who are experiencing job insecurity, who are unemployed or under-employed, or who are considering a career change. The idea for the group arose because the COVID-19 pandemic has had wide-ranging impacts on peoples’ employment. Some are reevaluating their career plans; others are facing disruptive changes in work environments; and others have lost their jobs altogether.
Forward Together is grounded in scripture and prayer and is a safe and confidential space to share experiences, get support, and express concerns about job insecurity. The group focuses on the spiritual aspects of our work and supports members in discerning next steps in their lives. We will meet on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month from 6–7pm and our first meeting will be on Monday, August 9. If you are experiencing any kind of job insecurity or are simply considering next steps in your work life, you are warmly invited to join us, and please feel free to reach out to
with any questions.
As it happens, our Gospel reading this week also has something to say about work, or more specifically, the work we are called to do as followers of Jesus. In this passage from John’s Gospel, a crowd of people, who have just been miraculously fed with a few loaves of bread and a handful of fish, have tracked Jesus down on the other side of the sea. Jesus sees that they have missed the point of the miracle and that they have come to him just looking for another free meal. He tells them, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” The people ask what they must do to perform the works of God and Jesus responds that there is only one work required by God, that they “believe in him whom he has sent.” Jesus teaches that there is only one work required of us, but it is no small task—trust in God.
Even as we work to provide for our basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter, Jesus calls us into deeper relationship with him and to live into the lives God intended for us. This is the work that feeds our souls, frees us from self-centeredness, and connects us with the work of God. Where is God calling you?
The Reverend Meredith E. Ward
Interim Associate Rector