Anatomy of a Photograph: Synod Assembly Edition

It is synod assembly season in the ELCA!

That means there will be a lot of people speaking at a podium on a dais. Yes, exciting, I know! With all of these opportunities to speak at a podium on the dais, I expect there will be many a Facebook profile picture rocking the podium. (I could also make a joke about rocking the dais à la Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus,” but I am not crafty enough with my words on a Sunday afternoon to pull off such a feat).

I noticed the Facebook podium profile picture spree at the 2014 Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly. It was quite the year as the election for bishop was also taking place. Conference deans were at the podium, welcoming synod voting members and guests. Candidates for the office of bishop were giving impassioned speeches. The podium profile picture spree showed people with decorum, dignity, grace, and an air of authority.

Then I got to the podium.

Because the Holy Spirit is a wily one and in conversation with one of my mentors, I was encouraged to run for Synod Council that year. Mind you, it was the last day of assembly. I hadn’t slept but a few hours in the course of three days. As an introvert, I was completely out of extroverted energy. In the madness of lack of sleep and lack of extroversion, and a commitment to serve the church and explore my vocational and pastoral identity, somehow I ended up at the podium at Synod Assembly. And rather unfortunately, someone took a picture.

Here is that glorious picture (taken by Cary Bass-Deschênes):

Yes, this is the appearance of someone who has clearly not slept in days and is quite wild-eyed (you decide if it’s from sleep deprivation of the moves of the Spirit). What’s even better is that this picture is slightly out of focus.

The best thing about this picture: it’s totally me. If it is one picture that could define the course of my life and my ministry, it is this one photograph. I think it represents my shock of who I am today.

Because my spouse loves me so, the picture became this:

A meme! A meme to represent this insane faith journey that has many a twist and turn. A meme to show others that I do (and don’t) take myself seriously. A meme to show that the Holy Spirit... she’s a wily one.