June 02, 2011, Christianity (85), Church (77)
Posted by Wallace+
In conversation on Sunday, as we reflected on church as our base camp, a comment by Steve Micas gave me a fresh perspective on the image. Steve spoke of the importance of lingering at the base camp. His reflection and, in particular, the word linger have stayed with me.
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To linger.
Who would have thought that life depends on it, that salvation depends on it?
On lingering.
But so it is:
When about to ascend Mount Everest, one must remain at the base camp for several weeks, even up to two months. This is to allow time for acclimatization, that is, for an adjustment to the altitude, to the oxygen content of the air. Not to allow that time is to endanger one's life. To allow that time helps ensure that one is ready for the hike.
To make the ascent, we must first linger. We must linger at the base camp.
I'll see you there.
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Tags: steve micas, word from grace street
February 01, 2011, People of St. Paul's (42), Church (77), Faith & Politics (33), In the News (Richmond) (74)
Guest Post by Steve Micas
Cross-posted from the Richmond Times-Dispatch
On Sunday, January 30, a new "Faith & Values" column in the Richmond Times-Dispatch featured a guest article by St. Paul's parishioner Steven Micas, "Elected officials need your prayers." In it, Steve reflects:
"I prefer to see my job as an opportunity to project spirituality by engaging in a kind of quiet 'missionary' work. Each member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Richmond, where I worship, has a unique way of 'proclaiming Christ in the heart of the city.' For me, proclaiming Christ works best in small public and private ways as I work in the 'fishbowl' of local government...
We all know that direct proselytizing in the workplace is inappropriate. More effective than proselytizing, I think, is the symbolic value of small acts of personal kindness, courage and decency that best reflect a life in conformity with the teachings of St. Paul.
Human examples such as protecting a female employee from sexual harassment by a powerful supervisor, finding a home for a 15-year-old Mexican boy who walked to Virginia from Guadalajara, or publicly correcting a purposeful misstatement by a politician all illustrate that Christian values do have a place at work.
On Sundays, just being in the collective presence of each of you sharing the sacraments is calming and renewing. The sense of community at St. Paul's uplifts me and supports me for the sometimes ugly conflict inherent in the political world."
Click here to leave an encouraging comment on the RTD Web site!
Click read more below for the full article.
Pictured: Steve Micas, recently photographed for the Progress-Index
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Tags: faith at work, good news, steve micas
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