Where is your Church now?
This is a really good question. I have wondered that myself. Through my experience, the Church is dying a slow death. As a Priest, I feel that the Church really needs to get a vision of Christ again. A number of years ago, I was quite sick. To the point that I had to give up parish ministry so that I could heal. This also required a move. Even before I got to the parish that we had decided to worship in, that Rector had been told by another priest to have nothing to do with me. Just recently, I found myself without work once again. With this came a period of a depression and identity crisis. A big part of this was the fact that I, as a pastor, could not function as one. I was told by my the local Rector that I could not do anything. Every time I offered to do something, I was turned down. When I was asked what I would like to do, I replied that I could read the Scripture, greet people at the door, do the Prayers of the People, etc. When I was done, I was promptly told that these are lay people’s jobs. As a priest I could not do any of those things. And of course, I could not do anything that would constitute the work of a Priest. Not long ago, the organist from the parish was let go. I have been sought out by this woman for guidance, help, and direction. I was told by the Rector that I was not to get involved with her. At another time and place, a family with ties to the Church was burnt out of their home. It was suggested that perhaps the ACW could send a basket to let them know that they are being thought of. The response was: “why should we? They don’t come to Church!”. And there are other examples I could give with the same kind of results.
So as I moved from place to place, I have found the same thing. There seems to be a deep lack of love and God amongst the people. I have noticed that the Church lacks the ability to reach out to those who are suffering, in pain, having difficulties, and going through a crisis. When I have personally gone through a crisis, it seems that the Church has run in the opposite direction and wish not to have anything to do with me. Perhaps that may be because I am a priest and no one knows how to handle a priest who is experiencing any kind of distress. I must admit though, the Rector of this local parish is the first one, representing the Church, has reached out to me. But I am not sure that it was for the right reasons. I think it was to remind me that, as a priest and pastor, I cannot do anything in the Church. I know others have only experienced the wrath of the Church. The Church is suppose to be, and pronounces that it is, loving and caring and compassionate. I have yet to experience this side of the Church.
I have just completed writing my story from the time that I entered training for ordained ministry to the present. I could not believe how many times that I have tried to reach out to the Church for comfort and solace only to be pushed away. God seems to be so absent from the Church. The Church meets each week to do the ritual but it is done without any sense of ownership. It goes without meaning for most. It is the thing to do on Sunday since it is something that has been done before. But when you enter into the Anglican Church, and other Churches, I know that not all are like this but the vast majority are, you do not see very many young families or children running around. Opps, children are not suppose to be running around the Church. I had forgotten that rule. Nor is any one permitted to sit in any seat that any of the parishioners have sat in for years. Visitors be aware!
Where do I want the Anglican Church of Canada to be by 2019?
It is my prayer over the next ten years that the Church will have a massive revival. That God will move in and take control so that his love may be seen, felt, and experienced. This needs to take place before my dream of the Anglican Church will be where I would like it to be by 2019.
I see the Church as being an out reach of God. We move from the four walls to meet people where they are, in their pain, their hurts, and their confusion. That the people that go to Church will be people of God, they have made a personal commitment to God and accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and live out their lives accordingly. I would like to see the Church being a place where love is not a four letter word but is something that is lived out for real. That the people will, at a moment notice, be ready to give a testimony to the saving grace of God in their life. The people are filled with joy. They want to share their faith and blessings with others. I would like to see the Church a place of comfort for the confused, rest for the weary, acceptance of the individual, and hope for a people that have no hope any longer. We do not drive people away but invite them into our fellowship where they will get to know God in a very personal way. And not only know him, but experience him. I pray that the people will have a vision that is equal to the vision of Jesus. I pray that the mission of the Church will be that of Jesus. A place that is loving, caring, showing compassion and reaching out to others in need.
Alas, this is only a dream. And in order for this dream to come to be, God needs to move amongst the people, to set them on fire, to help them seek God and his love and grace. I fear that my dream will not come to be because people are not willing to listen to God nor to follow him.
In reality, the Church will most likely remain as it is. People do not like change and they resist change. We only have to look at the BAS and BCP. It has been some 25 years that the BAS came into being. Yet there are parishes who refuse to use it or even look at it. Both Prayer books are full and rich with liturgy. However, who speaks like the language portrayed in the BCP? There was an elderly gentleman in the local parish who said that the BAS was not a proper Prayer Book. He said that he wants to continue to use the book that he was baptized under. Well, I am afraid that we have had changed books since his baptism. People resist change.
People like things the way they are. The biggest complaint I have heard about the BAS is that they do not know it. That means that they have to open the book to follow what is taking place at the front. The responses are not known to them. With the BCP, they do not have to open the book as they have the lines memorized. People do not like to play outside of the sandbox. The Church needs to move outside of the sandbox to do ministry differently. The world around us have changed even if the Church has not. The Church needs to come into the 21st Century reality if it wish to have any significant affect upon the way we live and act. The Church needs to speak out against the evil that is going on around us. So often the Church has remained silent. We need to become a force to be reckoned with. The Church needs to stand up for what is right and against what is wrong in our world. Even in Canada, there is a diocese that will not allow any one who has any connection to homosexuality. Where is God in that? Where is love? The Church cannot speak out against the evil when they are part of the problem. The Church has become intolerant. How can someone be welcomed into the fellowship when it preaches intolerance. This is why I cannot support the rebuilding of the Cathedral in that diocese. I cannot support bigotry, prejudices and intolerance. Neither should the Church.
May God have mercy on us. May he forgive us for not being more obedient to his direction. May God come upon the Church as he did upon the disciples in the upper room that first Pentecost day. May the Church be receptive to receiving the power of God, his grace, his strength so that the Church can become a vital force against the evil of this world. May God bless the Church with his abiding presence so that we can show his love, caring and compassion.
I really pray that my dream will come true. I am certainly willing to have God come upon me fully as he did upon the disciples.
The vision presented by Larry K. appears to be admirable but the one major flaw seems to be his suggestion that we should accept sin and bless it. That conclusion is from his allegation that a diocese in Canada will not accept homosexuals. The truth is as a society we have bought into the suggestion that refusal to accept homosexual activity is discrimination. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is not a shred of scientific evidence to prove that persons are born homosexuals. The real agenda for the church is to welcome sinners – we are all subject to sin by reason of our old nature and are tempted according to our weaknesses of which Satan is clearly aware – but in welcoming each other we are indeed called to repentance. Without a commitment to bring persons to Christ, the Church ceases to be a church and becomes nothing more than a social club. It is long since past the time when our Primate and the House of Bishops should show leadership and bring the church back to its roots.
Let me clarify what I was saying concerning homosexuality and that Diocese. I do not, I believe, that we accept sin and bless it. My point was that there was a clear discrimination and intolerance of that Diocese. How can we expect that people would want to become a part of a Church that discriminates or is intolerant of others? Mr. Winell and I will have to disagree about the issue of homosexuality. I think he should speak to these people and listen with an open mind. If you go with any kind of preconceived notions, than it would be impossible to hear what is being said. We have much to learn from our brothers and sisters who are lesbian, gay, transgendered, or bisexual.