Practicing the hand off
Today is the Feast of the Ascension, a feast that always comes on the Thursday ten days before Pentecost.
The Gospels tell us that after his resurrection Jesus led the disciples out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:49 ff). In Mark’s Gospel we read that prior to his ascending, Jesus said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15).
In this biblical witness to the Ascension, we find Jesus practicing an essential element of ministry: the “Hand Off.” Throughout his ministry he fed, taught, and gave example to the disciples, and now, at his departure into heaven, he is again teaching. Through the sign of blessing and the charge to proclaim the good news, Jesus is in essence handing off his ministry to his closest followers, assuring them the Holy Spirit will come to continue teaching and strengthening them for the mission he has given them.
Noting the importance of the “hand off,” I encourage us to appreciate the need and allow it to happen. Regardless of how invested and passionate we are about certain ministries and responsibilities- and how well we do them- there will come a time when for ourselves and for the good of the community we need to hand them off. It may well be to pursue what we have discerned to be a different path that offers new and stimulating opportunities for service. Or it may be for a well deserved respite, at least for a time. Consider what a gift it is when we allow this to happen, for ourselves and others.
Here, let me be the first to acknowledge that it is not easy to allow highly valued and extraordinarily gifted people to hand off their particular responsibilities. My instinct is never to let them leave their vital roles. Truth is, some of us have perfected the art of cajoling, coercing, and heaping just the right amount of guilt to keep people in place.
As we all know, to accept a responsibility in the church is often considered risky because it can be seen as an interminable commitment. We joke about how Treasurers, Altar Guild Directors, Sunday School teachers, and others are expected to serve at least 30 years. And thank God many have done so and have been a blessing to the church.
However, for the sake of those who are willing to serve and those who are willing to take the hand off when the time comes, may we be mindful of Jesus’ example and be open to new possibilities. We do so as an act of faith, trusting that God who provided the saints we know, and know of, will call forth successors for today and tomorrow. God bless them all.
