Perfectly Designed
Perfectly Designed
Columbia Business School professor, W. Edwards Deming famously said, “Every system is perfectly designed to get the result that it does.” This doesn’t mean that only “perfectly designed” systems get results, it means that every result is the result of the thing perfectly designed to produce it.
Let me explain.
I have a close friend who insists that the Biblical imperative he’s most faithful to in life is found in Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing”. This is, he says, because he’s so often anxious…for nothing. But I believe it’s not for nothing that he’s so often anxious, because we live in a day that seems perfectly designed to get that result. From isolation to disagreements over vaccines to social media to to faith-deconstruction to political atomization to family issues to inflation to culture wars to hot wars, it can be downright overwhelming.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) says that in 2021 clinical anxiety became—and continues to be—the most common mental illness in the US, having grown by a whopping 25% and affecting over 40 million men, women, and children. That’s just depressing. But most people don’t have clinical anxiety disorders, they, like my close friend, just too often feel anxious. Given the cultural and global circumstances though, this shouldn’t be particularly surprising.
Apparently, being a Christian in first-century Rome could be anxiety-producing, too (he wrote, tongue-in-cheek), because St. Paul deals with it straightforwardly in this week’s Epistle reading. Although, candidly, I’m a little anxious about preaching on it.
See you Sunday.
Steve+
News and Announcements
Work Half-Day at Medora’s—Postponed due to weather concerns, rescheduled to Saturday, October 21
A way to seek the flourishing of one of our dearest neighbors, and a great get-acquainted activity. Bring your gardening tools (things like shovels, rakes, trimmers, pitch forks for mulch, chain saws, tarps to haul leaves, and gloves). We’ll grill hot dogs for lunch, but will need side dishes and desserts to share (sign up for what you’ll bring here). We’ll provide bottled water and table service. Medora’s address is: 6440 Elibank Drive, Elkridge, MD 21075.
Please let Doug Gillikin know if you’re planning to participate should plans change (cdgcdg2@icloud.com).
Bishop Julian Episcopal Visitation—Sunday, October 22, 10AM
Meeting and hearing the heart of our Bishop as he opens the Word to us is a very important event in the life of an Anglican Church. We’ll have a chance to do just that Sunday, October 22 as Bishop Julian comes for a visit with us. We’ll worship together, break for some refreshment, and have a time of Q&A with him. Plan to join us that day even if you can’t stay for the Q&A.
Other Upcoming Events
Sunday, October 29—Fifth Sunday Potluck
Sunday November 12 - Operation Christmas Child boxes are due
Sunday, December 10—Redeemer Annual Meeting
Sunday, December 31—Fifth Sunday Potluck
Photo Credit: Sasha Freemind/Unsplash
