A few weeks ago, in my Sunday sermon, I used a word that was new to me, I used it because it seemed to fit what I was preaching on. It continues to be a word that resonates with me. “Coddiewomple”. Never heard of it? I am not surprised. It is an old English word that means, “going purposefully to an unknown destination”. I like that idea. Here I am, moving forward purposefully, even though I am not really sure where I am going to end up.
Coddiewomple has come to my mind again today as I prepare for the Congregation’s Annual Meeting to be held tomorrow. I am trying to anticipate what responses the various reports will inspire. I am trying to guess what some of the questions and concerns will be as we look back over the year just past. And, I am trying to imagine what the future will look like as we chart our course and look forward. I am guessing that it will feel a lot like coddiewompling. We know we are moving forward purposefully … but not absolutely certain where we will end up.
Does that sound like faith? Does faith mean we know where we are going? Or, does it mean we go, even while not knowing our absolute destination? I tend to think it is the later. As the old joke says, “If you want to make God laugh, tell God your plans.” Our certainty is that we journey in the companionship of Christ, we go with the hovering blessing of the Holy Spirit, but only God knows the destination! That is hard for those of us who like to have a plan with goals, objectives, benchmarks and checkpoints and to know what it is going to cost!
Congregational life, and, in fact ministry in general, requires a great deal of openness. Often I have thought of something that, in my mind would be brilliant, but, nope – not of interest. Then, an idea comes out of nowhere, and it excites and inspires people beyond imagining.
So, no matter what ever happens at the Annual Meeting I feel pretty sure we will continue to coddiwomple into the future doing ministry that surprises and is blessed and nurtured by the Holy Spirit.
P.S. – Thanks for your response to my last blog about prayer. I appreciated hearing from you.
Did Paul have to hold annual general meetings or did he just get away with writing epistles? I prefer to think of worship as a weekly general meeting but I suppose worship is a little more specific than general and we don’t have to discuss the plumbing under floor or the shingles on the roof. At least in United Church fashion there is a lunch involved. Not to worry. I look forward to listening, not saying anything if possible, and slipping out unnoticed. I’ll coddievanmosh.