THE CHURCH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING
Bishop Klusmeyer has appointed a small group to produce a statement on the meaning of ministry as we understand and practice it in West Virginia. (I am not a member, but serve as staff liaison, and therefore, have very little to say. Ha!)
For illustrative purposes, and to get the wheels spinning, not to settle the matter: the group began with the idea that ministry is rooted in and based upon baptism. They talked about its connection to Creation, Incarnation, and Epiphany. They drew scriptural connections. They talked about Sacrament, and Discipleship. Finally, they seemed to arrive at an idea that ministry originates in God’s call to all his creation, to participate, in unity with Him, in his work of restoration of Creation to the state of original blessing. Perhaps it is not so much the activity we do that makes us Christ’s ministers, but the manner in which we do it—transformed by the love of Jesus.
Lay persons in the diocese—this project needs your help! We need to hear something of your experience and thinking about your own ministry and that of others.
How do you describe the work you do in the world?
What motivates you, what inspires you? What is the connection between your
belonging to a church and having a ministry beyond the church in the world?
How is the work you do not merely a job, but a vocation and ministry?
What do we bring to church; what do we leave church with?
Where does your ministry get hard? Why? How? Where do you find your help?
What does it mean to be the Body of Christ, and the Image of God in the
world?
How would you do church if there was no church building?
Please give some thought to these questions, and respond with your own ideas. I’ll be accumulating responses on the blog www.wvdisciple.blogspot.com you may post your contribution there as a “comment” on this piece, or you may reply by email just to me, not to wvmission, and I will post the response on the blog. I’ll credit each contributor, unless you ask me to keep your reply anonymous.
Clergy—sit on your hands this time! We need to hear from lay folks.
We very much look forward to hearing from the ministers of our diocese. Thanks in advance for helping with this foundational work.
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2 comments:
from Hollie Mitchell:
Hello,
Has there been a response to your Cannon #69?
All I can contribute is that "church " has always been with me.From a youth when we went to sing carols at a nursing home or rest home.
As I went to school and found some of my friends were not as blessed as I . On to nursing school where I studied "other religions" so I would know how to help my patient in time of need and their families too.
I took "church " to the altar as I was married and moved away from home. then leaned on "church" as I had two children and moved with my military husband to Turkey for almost 3 years.
I helped with POW"S and MIA"S from the Vietnam era .. helped start Prison fellowship Angel Tree take root in my new state of WV...Now I am part of uniting the altar guild of the Diocese of WV and the representative of the Washington National Cathedral for this wonderful state.
I tend to the Little Chapel of St.Mark's St. Albans, as it grows in service to the community .
All this as I leaned on my" church".
Go back and change all my "church" to Christ.......ah that is better ...
Hollie Mitchell
an anonymous contribution:
I would prefer that you not use my name.
• I would describe my work in the world as doing anything I can to fill any need. I was a public school teacher for many years and I found lots of opportunities to spread God’s love. I don’t think I uttered the word Episcopalian very often, but I did remind people of God’s love and how he works through others. In connection with my community, I have helped people who need food, clothing, and other basic needs. I have encouraged members of my family and group of friends to do likewise.
• What motivates me is a desire to thank the God who created me, protects me, sustains me and energizes me. I think belonging to a church gives me a base, a place to begin. It offers lots of opportunities and directions to find the needy. This opens the door to the ministry outside the church.
• Well, with a job, one generally is paid! But, of course, that’s the point. To do this work freely, as God freely offered his Son for us. A vocation is something one does because one cannot not do it. One is compelled.
• What I bring to church is all my weekly baggage: all my cares, disappointments, responsibilities, fatigue, fear, resentment, etc. And I leave without them. I leave lightened of the load that holds me down. Then I can continue my life with energy and vigor to be able to help others. I leave with the love of the people in our little church, with a sense that I have been in the presence of Greatness. I have been blessed.
• Ministry gets really hard when people seem to be dishonest in their needs, when they persist in behaviors that keep them needy, and sometimes when it seems that I alone am trying to help. This is difficult because it seems that the resources that I have are not enough to help all those who need help. When this happens, I pray about it or I talk to people at church. We usually find a solution.
• Being the image of God in the world is an awesome prospect. It means that we all must strive to reflect the love of God in any way we can. And this is at such variance with the ways of the world—even sometimes the ways of the Church. Being the Body of Christ (if this is a separate question) means that we are one with Christ. We are attached, united, and solidly with Him.
• Having church without a building would for me mean being outdoors in someplace beautiful and meditating on all the things I value from my religion. I think solitude is a wonderful thing, Of course, this would constitute only the worship aspect of the church service. “Doing” church, I think, would be doing all the things we already do outside the building: tending to the poor, the sick, the shut-in, the disenfranchised, the wounded, the one who does not know God.
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