The final guest speaker for Christ Church Cathedral’s, initial 2014 Agora Lunch Series was the Right Reverend Melissa Skelton, Bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster. The series, organized by the Cathedral’s Business Chaplain, the Reverend Alisdair Smith and Andrew Stephens-Rennie, the Cathedral’s Emerging Ministries Pastor was designed to invite and welcome the downtown Vancouver neighbourhood to explore the topics of faith and spirituality in a business environment.
The April 7th Agora Lunch discussion was facilitated by Alisdair and was attended by 40+ individuals, admittedly the large majority present were members of the Cathedral Parish.
The Bishop’s opening remarks covered some of her history as it related to the topic of the day which was how one’s faith life intersects with one’s business life. The Bishop began by saying that “we are not simply consumers, we are more than that.” She has a great deal of experience with the intersection of the world, the marketplace, the business world and Christian Faith. She wanted to make it clear that her business background and training and her call to ministry were not ever mutually exclusive as she was in graduate school in Chicago working on her Mdiv and her MBA at the same time. Traversing the two different worlds while in graduate school was a rewarding and enlightening experience. At the business school the lights were on 24 hours a day, the common areas and lecture halls were abuzz with energy, conversely the coffee shop of the divinity school was “a great place to hang out” and experience the quiet contemplative world of students and instructors who live in the world of theology.
Bishop Melissa was recruited by Proctor and Gamble for their marketing division while still at graduate school and she was ordained while working as a brand manager for that company. The Bishop listed some of the characteristics of the two different worlds and then she explored the issue of intersecting the two worlds. For her, this is “all held together by prayer.” Having the two worlds function together internally, within ourselves, involves putting our situations and challenges of our everyday work experiences into our prayer life. By pursuing a prayer life it “opens that channel of vulnerability between us and the giver of life.” She counseled that Christians in business should bring their "real selves" to wherever they are. It is important to “be present to what is really going on in front of you.” It isn’t about being good or righteous like a “girl scout” or “boy scout,” “you need to tell your truth, be courageous, be compassionate and give yourself permission to apologize.”
The business community teaches us to steer clear of tunnel vision and “look for multiple bottom lines.” We shouldn’t get hung up on structure and following prescribed business models or patterns as often success comes from relationships. She equated multiple bottom lines to the vows that are made in the Baptismal Covenant. The business world brings to us a positive outlook, the “sense that we can do it”, and a valuing and love of teamwork and excellence. “It feels good to do good work and it feels good to be involved in good liturgy.” She asked that people in business connect to the marketplace by listening closely to consumers because they aren’t just consumers they are friends.
Stay tuned for more information about the next series of Agora Lunch Discussions at Christ Church Cathedral planned for later in 2014.
Images: Top and homepage, Bishop Melissa reads the Baptismal Covenant from the Service of Baptism, Book of Alternative Services as the underpinning of how we can live our faith in the workplace and consider embracing “multiple bottom lines.” Bottom, Following Bishop Melissa’s 25 minute address, the Reverend Alisdair Smith asked the plenary to form groups of three and discuss their personal experiences of faith and work life.