Amnesia

Today's post was inspired by Linda Booth's thought provoking article in the March 2012 Herald entitled Signal Communities...Reflect Christ's Peace. (You can read the entire article by clicking here.)

Apostle Booth draws to our attention Jesus' efforts to create a signal community with his disciples and followers. Acts 2 then tells how the first-century church attempted to follow Jesus' example and teaching by living that community model. Apostle Booth points out that throughout our history, Community of Christ has steadfastly believed that it is also called to create signal communities. Before the church was even established the following guidance was given.

"Seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion." (Doctrine and Covenants 6:3a, given April, 1829)

Apostle Booth then makes the following statement.

Over the years, some Community of Christ congregations have developed a form of Christian amnesia, forgetting what congregations are to signal. They have focused on themselves rather than Christ’s mission of evangelism or invitation, compassionate ministries, and justice and peacemaking for all. Discipleship often has focused on events and programs in the church building, rather than extending Christ’s mission in our neighborhoods, families, and communities.

I am not sure I would have characterized our congregations this way, but do you think this is true? It is at least an idea that is worth exploring. Seen in light of Sister Linda's observation, recent revelations to the church take on fresh meaning and call us to renew our understanding of both the global and local church's purpose. Perhaps Doctrine and Covenants 163:3a should be read, not as new counsel to the church but as an urgent reminder of what has always been our call.

You are called to create pathways in the world for peace in Christ to be relationally and culturally incarnate. The hope of Zion is realized when the vision of Christ is embodied in communities of generosity, justice, and peacefulness.

"Thankfully," says Sister Booth, "God continues to be patient with us, reminding us that we are to be signal communities that reflect Christ’s peace and live Christ’s mission." She does not let us off the hook with that statement however, reminding us that God's Spirit is already at work in our communities and there are people who are searching for our community's signal of hope.

My Spirit is reaching out to numerous souls even now and there are many who will respond if you, my people, will bear affirmative testimony of my love and my desires for all to come unto me. —Doctrine and Covenants 153:9

There is a certain urgency here. That same urgency can be seen in the closing passages of Doctrine and Covenants 164.

If you truly would be Community of Christ, then embody and live the concerns and passion of Christ. The challenges and opportunities are momentous. Will you remain hesitant in the shadows of your fears, insecurities, and competing loyalties? Or will you move forward in the light of your divinely instilled call and vision? The mission of Jesus Christ is what matters most for the journey ahead. (Doctrine and Covenants 164: 9d-f)

If we have developed "a form of Christian amnesia" it is clear we need to recover.

Posted by Carman

Talking

“We Human beings discover what we know by listening to ourselves talk…”
- Phyllis Tickle; The Great Emergence, p.19

Something about the above quotation resonates with me. There is an important truth resident within those words. It is often through the process of talking that we are able to clarify our thoughts as we push through the cobwebs that have grown up in the mental doorways we have not needed to enter for a while.

In our home, for some reason we have our best conversations in the morning. It will start with something one of us is thinking about and needs a second opinion on. The discussion will begin before or during breakfast as we clarify the issues, and by the time I need to leave for the office, the conversation will be in full voice. “I have to go, but hold that thought” is a common expression at such moments. Alas, one is not always able to pick up the threads where one has dropped them!

We also do a lot of talking in our office. This is not the casual kind of water-cooler conversation about the previous night’s hockey game, or what one had for dinner the evening before. Instead, we wrestle with questions. Sometimes we work to make sure we are asking the right ones, and then talk together as we try to figure out the best answers to those questions. As the staff of the Mission Centre has become smaller, and the problems and issues have grown more complex, the conversations have become ever more helpful and important.

How can we help congregations move from maintenance to mission?
What can we do to encourage more leadership in the congregations?
How can we further empower our amazing young adult leaders?
How do Witnessing/Inviting ministries differ in an urban environment from a rural one?
How shall we accelerate the pace of our pastor training program (CPI) so as to train more people faster, but without causing a huge increase in costs?
How do we offer ministries and opportunities to Post-Congregational people?
Who are the best people to lead the new What Matters Most workshops?
And increasingly, how shall we deal with some of these issues after Marion retires later this year?

Astute readers of What’s the Good Word? will recognize that some of these same themes also show up in this blog from time to time. It is all part of the process of talking, as we discover together what we know.

The above questions are but a sample of the things we talk about as we seek to empower the congregations and leaders for mission, so I wonder, what about you; what are you talking these days?

Posted by Carman

Revelation

I recently read a book by a man who had technically died during surgery, and then was revived. Like many who have had this happen, the author claimed to have had a remarkable encounter with the Divine. Said more plainly, this man claimed to have actually heard the voice of God. He did not share all the words of this revelatory experience with the reader, claiming much of it was too personal, however he observed that this experience had become the centre of his existence and had changed him in so many ways. He now tries to be a better husband, father, minister and friend. He has also become much more generous.

It seems logical that revelation should always has this kind of impact on us, whether on a personal, individual basis or on the church as a whole. After all, receiving counsel from the Divine is not something that happens to most of us every day.

Generally the impact of a revelatory experience seems to be pretty immediate when the insight is new, but over time, its impact on our thinking may lessen somewhat. Currently, Doctrine and Covenants section 164 is poised to affect the church powerfully in a variety of ways over the next few years. It will, no doubt, always be an important document.

When Section 163 was given, I felt the counsel contained in its verses had a lot to say to the church. I still think that, and I really don’t think we have begun to put its wisdom into practice yet. It is to be hoped that Section 164 will not overshadow the wisdom contained within its words.

I believe section 163:2b in particular has a lot to teach the church. This verse contains two sentences, and generally the first one gets most of the attention.

Generously share the invitation, ministries, and sacraments through which people
can encounter the Living Christ who heals and reconciles through redemptive
relationships in sacred community.

As important as that is, it is the next sentence that has grasped me more.

The restoring of persons to healthy or righteous relationships with God, others,
themselves, and the earth is at the heart of the purpose of your journey as a
people of faith.

The heart of the purpose of our journey…nothing less than that! In other words, the restoring of persons to healthy or righteous relationships with God, others, themselves, and the earth is what the church is all about! Am I the only one who thinks this little gem is amazing? In that one little sentence lies the essence of what the church is called to do. It is our purpose; our reason for being. It needs to inform all we do.

May encounter with the Divine always be at the centre of our existence as a people of faith, and may we always understand the purpose of our journey.

Have a blessed day today.

Posted by Carman

MISSION

A few years ago, a research company conducted a survey of a large number of churches in United States. They asked church members what they thought the purpose of the church was. The results of the survey were very interesting. 89% of members said that the purpose of the church was to look after the needs of members and their families. The remaining 11% of those polled thought the church’s purpose was to reach out to people where were outside the church family and not church members.

The same research company also polled the pastors of these same churches. Interestingly, exactly 89% of the pastors replied that the purpose of the church was to reach out to those who were not members of the church, and only 11% thought the purpose was to look after members and their families. The two groups were exactly opposite!

In a way, this survey demonstrates the difference between maintenance and mission. Maintenance is about me and my family. Mission is about those whose lives would be so greatly enriched by knowing there is a God who cares about them passionately.

The recent revelation to the church we now call Section 163 has much to say to us on this matter. In fact, one might think it should really settle the debate once and for ever.

“Generously share the invitation, ministries, and sacraments through which people can encounter the Living Christ who heals and reconciles through redemptive relationships in sacred community. The restoring of person to healthy or righteous relationships with God, others, themselves, and the earth is at the heart of the purpose of your journey as a people of faith.” D. & C. 163:2b

In Canada East Mission, we believe we are called to move from maintenance to mission. The call is the mission of the Christ. It is the mission of the church. It is our mission.

Do you hear the call? Are you ready?

Maintenance

Definition: Care or upkeep, as of machinery or property: With proper maintenance, the car will last for many years.

Maintenance is the work required to keep things from falling apart. It is always done in an effort to retain the status quo. Maintenance is necessary, of course, but it takes a lot of time and work.

The problem with maintenance is that, if we aren’t careful, it can consume all our available time and effort. In church, we can become so consumed with keeping the church running that we hardly have time to reach out and invite the people the church was intended to serve. When that happens, the church becomes about us, not about inviting or serving others. This is a big problem, since that is not what the church is called to do.

If we are already in maintenance mode, the challenge is to move from maintenance to mission. Stay tuned; more in the next post!

Purpose

An important question, often asked, sometimes unspoken is "What's it all for anyway?" "Why am I here?" "Why are we here?"

This, from Section 163, paragraph 2:

The restoring of persons to healthy or righteous relationships with God, others, themselves, and the earth is at the heart of the purpose of your journey of faith.

If you and I are working on those things, it's a good start.