The Rev. Orion Davis

If one were to define the ministry of the Rev. Orion Davis, Rector of St. Mary’s, Sparta, NJ, in one word it would be “pilgrimage.” Davis is a passionate educator and for him pilgrimage --moving from the known and comfortable to the unknown-- is not only an important tool of Christian formation it is a way of life. His ministry involves moving small parishes that are in difficulty or decline to a new place spiritually so they can grow. This happens when a congregation discovers its gifts. He believes that moving from the familiar to the new and unknown is the core of spiritual growth for himself and for congregations alike. As he points out, “You have to be drawn to grow and move. You have to overcome the temptation to stay immobile and comfortable.”

This 40-year long journey in ministry began when he, a native of South Carolina, entered Sewanee Theological School. Like a pilgrim without a clear picture of the destination or a clear vision of what God wanted him to do, he embarked on a journey that changed him radically. While at seminary his views changed from what he describes as conservative to quite liberal. This was only beginning of the journey during which he came to serve in the Dioceses of New York, Western Tennessee, and Newark.

Davis has a passion for teaching. The main objective of Christian formation for him is growth for both parishioners and educators, which can be a very stimulating process. He uses pilgrimages to sites, both Christian and non-Christian e.g., Delphi, Stonehenge, as potent formation tools. According to Davis, “Pilgrimage helps people leave the familiar. The outward journey helps them to start their internal pilgrimage by observing new cultures and people. It shows them how God is present in different traditions. But pilgrimage is also a lot of work, like prayer.”

Meditation and prayer in natural settings are of prime importance to him. These help the pilgrims to discover God’s presence outside the church, to experience the sacred nature of creation. He has a lot of stories about pilgrimages and widely uses storytelling in education and preaching. He recalls celebrating the Eucharist on the rocky shore of the Sea of Galilee using a log as an altar. In the middle of the Eucharist he noticed a man sleeping nearby. After the Eucharist the stranger disappeared but the pilgrims were left with a special feeling; his presence helped them meditate on how we are visited by God often in unexpected ways.

Pilgrimage helps Christians realize God’s presence and movement in our lives, to hear God’s voice which may be hard to discern behind the noise of everyday needs and worries. Davis believes that one of the goals of Christian formation is to discern God’s calling. This is an essential aspect of parish ministry and the key to the development and growth of a congregation. For him growth and ministry in the world are the only reasons for a parish’s existence -- mere survival is not. Spiritual growth of individuals and communities is closely related to stewardship. He discerns three stages/levels in one’s growth and the stewardship of one’s gifts:

1. Reflection upon what God is doing in one’s life. This reflection is often facilitated by an educational program or conversation.
2. Reflection then leads to an internal dialogue and discernment of God’s calling in one’s life.
3. Finally, one decides how to apply one’s gifts and resources to serve God and neighbor in a particular community, such as the congregation.

Davis sees a problem in jumping from stage one to three without giving enough time for the spiritual growth through internal dialogue and discernment.

On the favorite educational resources and programs
Davis admits that he has difficulty with most of the “canned” curricula for adults. One difficulty has to do with time: most of the adults have one hour, at most, to devote to an adult class. This translates into a 15-20 minute story or video clip with the rest of the time for discussion. Such materials are not easy to find. Two favorites are “Tales from the Madhouse” (eight biblical characters, such as the Rich Man and Pilate’s wife who encountered Jesus but missed the point; available on DVD); and “Hashing It Out” with Tony Campolo and Steve Brown.

Davis uses a number of programs for children and young adult education:

• “Godly Play” and “Catechesis of Good Shepherd”
• “J2A- Journey to Adulthood”

Regarding J2A Davis notes that the program is based on great principles but takes a lot of preparation on the part of the teachers.

St. Mary's Church, Sparta, NJ

One general problem with educational programs for adults, in Davis’ opinion, is that they enjoy learning but do not have an outlet in their parish for what they have learned. After the educational series is over they are on their own. Another problem is the lack of humor in many of the educational programs. He believes that humor is a crucial ingredient of a successful program. “People learn better and enjoy more if they expect a good experience. They need a license to smile and laugh, something that is often lacking in the world and (sadly) in the church.” He also uses interactive tools and games in his educational activities both for children and adults. Davis’s extensive experience in suggests that pilgrimage, storytelling and laughter can be important tools of Christian education, which, in turn, is an important component of congregational growth.

The Rev. Orion Davis is Rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Sparta, NJ. He can be contacted by email (frorion@earthlink.net) or phone (973-729-3136).

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