The Episcopal Church Pension Fund provides a benefit to clergy known as CREDO.  The website for Episcopal CREDO shares that the Latin word, CREDO, can be translated as “I believe,” but that it also has deeper meaning. Literally translated, CREDO means, “I give my heart.” The eight-day retreat opportunity provided by CREDO encourages participants to rediscover the passionate essence of their life and ministry in the context of their faith, their relationships, and community.

This past May, I attended CREDO #277.  Having gone to various and sundry retreats, training and management offerings in my career, I was actually very relieved by the experience I had at CREDO. Taking the view that vocation is a lifelong process of practice and self transformation, I found the retreat to be a very helpful opportunity to take another deep look at my vocational calling.  I subsequently reconnected with my passion, my first love – Creation and Creator.

An important factor of why I was able to reconnect with Creator has to do with how CREDO is structured.  Namely, CREDO’s strength is its holistic approach to wellness – participants are invited to examine their minds, bodies, spirits, and hearts by examining four significant areas of their lives—spiritual, vocational, health, and financial. The ultimate goal is to tool clergy for continuing and deepening healthy patterns and commitment to lifelong wellness.

An important phrase for me became “sustainable spirit.”  Our spirits are not limitless resources – they can be spent, abused, misused and squandered. The work of heart, body, mind and spirit is all of whole cloth. Pull one thread too hard in any direction, and the tapestry is unwoven.  To live authentically, I believe, requires opportunities like CREDO to renew (in some cases, restore) one’s identity for genuine transformation (of both self and world).

In my discernment at CREDO, I was surprised to discover that I have a “Grand Dream.” My dream is a vision for Christian community living and worshiping in intimate spiritual relationship with God through the nurture of Creation, in deep coherence between what we avow with all that we do .  I will share more about this vision over time, but for now I would share a small baby step towards this dream.

I have changed my primary blog site in name and format to reflect the vision in my heart. The content formerly associated with my “Ordained Diva” blog can still be found here.  However, my new blog site is http://www.greeningspirit.com.  I have also updated my “About” me page in this new launch.

I look forward to sharing the journey with you, my blog follower community, and I am grateful for your friendship and virtual companionship.  You are a community of grace and blessing, and I love you very much. Thank you!

CREDO 277 at Lake Logan, NC