God became incarnate and dwelt and worked among us as one of us. The Church, which is the body of Christ, needs to follow that example of Christ, not setting itself apart and pulling more into itself but working out and among our communities and the world. The Incarnation was not just about the future – eternal life – but also about the reign of God in the present. As followers of Christ we are called to work now to bring God’s kin-dom on earth. This is not just for those who call themselves Christian but for the whole of creation, including people who do not share our beliefs and for the non-human world.
I would like to see us not have our worship and studies as goals but rather as gifts that help strengthen and equip us for the work to which God calls us. This would mean that worship needs to be relative to the context of the community. This does not mean abandoning our worship traditions but building on the underlying meanings and reasons those traditions were developed.
As well, why not find ways of offering the diverse skills to be found in our worshipping communities to help the larger community? We worry so much about our aging congregations, seeing that as a drawback rather than a gift. What about retired teachers offering tutoring services in our buildings after school or in the evenings? What about other gifts that can be offered and shared among the communities we serve? It is not that the church does not do these things now. It is that we tend to see them more as special projects rather than as a way of being.
I would like to see us outside our buildings more. I would like to see more interaction with our communities around use of the buildings. Instead of having our meetings and studies in our buildings, why not gather in local gathering places where people can see us and get to know us? Why not offer our buildings as a resource to our communities not as a way of bringing in income but as a way of offering service?
I think the church needs to come to the realization that we need to meet the people where they are rather than expecting them to come to us. This would mean getting out into the places in the community where the people gather. As it says in our diocesan profile that place may be the amenity room in a condominium or coffee row in a rural community. We need to be truly welcoming of all, embracing the diversity around us as gift rather than seeking conformity.
I believe that we need to stop worrying about our own survival and live in faith that God will provide. Instead of focusing on bringing in more people to serve the maintenance of our buildings and formal structures, we could focus on spreading the good news of the Gospel to those around us by word and by action. This would mean engaging one on one with individuals or with groups, not just educating ourselves about issues or raising money. It could involve not only doing our own outreach and mission but also supporting other people’s or groups outreach and mission with our active presence.
It is when the Church has truly been the body of Christ, incarnate among the people, that it has accomplished the most toward the bringing in of the kin-dom. If we set ourselves apart, if we stay within our buildings, if we insist on people coming to us and conforming, how can we effectively work to address and reach out to the great need for life in our larger communities in the reality of today’s society?
Love and prayers,
Ann Marie N
Biggar, SK
