But does Jesus' own powerlessness stop him? No, for if they won't listen to him, perhaps they will listen to someone they don't know as intimately, but who proclaims the same message-and that's where this Sunday's reading comes in:

"He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits."

When Jesus' own ability to work among the people is diminished, he doesn't give up; rather, he sends out his disciples. They are commissioned to carry on his own ministry, while he continues to teach those who have ears to hear. Familiarity may breed contempt, but it can't engender failure. When Jesus can't do the job where he is any more, he commissions others to do it for him. Jesus' leadership is powerfully brilliant here precisely because he doesn't rely on his own power, but gives that power to others. It's simple and it's effective. Jesus' ministry is not a cult of personality; it's all about the message and the transformed and transforming lives that message offers.

At Saint James, our own spiritual leader is just two weeks away from retirement. So this leaves us with the logical question: What now? With our leader departing, will we become powerless, ineffective? Not if we heed the same call that the disciples answered when they were sent out by Jesus as his apostles. For with Heyward's retirement, we are called to continue to do the work of ministry just as we always have. Heyward has been a powerful and effective leader, but his leadership has not been based in a cult of personality, a "yes, Father" subservience, but on an empowerment of the people in this community. Amidst transition and change, one thing remains constant: the call to proclaim the good news to friend and neighbor, and to live the good news in our own lives. We, too, are all about the message and the transformed and transforming lives that message offers.

This morning's gospel lesson also indicates what Jesus believes the necessary prerequisites for effective evangelism are. For instead of relying on material resources, Mark tells us that Jesus "ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts…" What do we need in order to answer God's call? Not much-just a willingness to follow the Spirit's leading.

Of course, where material resources are concerned, we are blessed at Saint James with an almost overwhelming abundance. In fact, I expect this abundance will make Saint James a very attractive place to candidates for our next rector who would overlook or even snub a parish that had, in essence "no bread, no bag, no money in their belts." And I don't think that's exactly good news. We need to beware of folks who are attracted to us primarily for what we have rather than who we are and what we do.

Regardless of what our resources are, Jesus calls us to do the work of ministry, even when we have very little: "no bread," save the bread from heaven that Jesus himself provides. No bag, no money…no rector-it really doesn't matter to God what our resources might be, but it does matter what we do with them.

Mark tells us quite clearly what the disciples did with what they had: "So they went out and proclaimed…" They cast out demons, anointed the sick and cured them.

The disciples' response to Jesus' call is simple and immediate: they went out and proclaimed the good news. They spread the healing power of God. Our tasks, while seemingly large, really are very simple and immediate as well: to articulate an accurate profile of who we are as a parish and academy, to listen faithfully for the voice of the Holy Spirit in the human voices that we encounter along the way, and "in the meantime" to live as if there is no "meantime." For in God's world, there is only now-an Eternal Now, in which we are invited to dwell, through which we are called to live, and move, and have our being.

The Lord be with you…Let us pray:

Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall in due time call a new rector to this parish, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.