While I don’t like being in liminal time, I like the idea of liminal time: a time between old things passing away and something new coming forth, but not here yet. It comes from a root meaning “threshold.” When you are on the threshold, you’re not in the house and you’re not out of the house. I don’t like being in it because it is very uncomfortable. There is little familiar left from the old in which to find comfort, and what is coming is still amorphous. What I like about the idea is that it acknowledges this time of discomfort and transition by giving it a name. (I think that I first read about liminal time in Richard Rohr’s book, Everything Belongs; the first time I heard of it was from my spiritual director.)
I don’t want to speak for anyone but myself (though maybe some of you are feeling the same), but I am in a liminal time with regard to St. Mark’s: my time and energy here are still here, but trailing off, and while things are starting to happen for me at Trinity, they are only suggestions of what’s to come. So here I am, hanging out in liminal time.
As much as I am uncomfortable right now, I know that it’s best if I don’t try to rush through it. There are times when I’ve wanted to run away to avoid the ending, and times when I wanted to jump into the community at Trinity. I want it to be done already, thankyouverymuch! But I believe that I am here for a reason, in the midst of the pain and the sorrow and the fear, and God is here with me (with us, but I’m trying to speak only for myself). I have spiritual work here in this time and space that requires my attention and can’t be rushed. Maybe you do too. I will keep you in my prayers; please keep each other in your prayers during this liminal time.
I pray that I will see you at Trinity, but if not, may God lead you to a faith community to love you, to support you, and to challenge you.
PS – This will (probably) be the last post to the St. Mark’s blog. I will keep the blog up until after we close.
Copyright 2008 by marceline (http://www.flickr.com/people/marcelyne/). Used under CCL.
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