Last week I hosted what turned out to be a mildly annoying Churches Together Ministers' Meeting, during which the newest arrival told us what would have to change to fit with what was envisaged for the Parish. Ascension - our one united communion service, something we hold very precious - would 'have' to be Anglican, the Pentecost united service would need to have its time changed because there would be parish baptisms at the time it is scheduled to occur, and as for the united Christmas Day service, impossible. I could get into a whole tirade about the nonsense of baptisms occurring outside of normal public worship and what it says theologically and culturally, but it doesn't really fit this rant!
Yesterday I bumped into our Methodist minister at the induction service - his circuit includes both local congregations - and asked him how he felt about it. He agreed with me, 'never mind the Kingdom let's worry about the parish,' he said cynically. This afternoon I will be talking about the illusory nature of Christian Unity and the glimpses we get of what it just might be if only we could grasp the idea that it is the incoming Kingdom for which we pray, not the parish, the circuit or the gathered congregation. My people are forgoing a 'Baptist' service so that we can use the much more liturgical WPCU form and are accustomed to closing our services in order to worship God with our siblings on Christ when this is possible and desirable. Maybe this is why I get cross when others don't/won't do likewise.
Yours is the Kingdom -
Not ours, but Yours.
Yours is the Kingdom -
Not the parish and the circuit
The Association, the District, the Synod, the Diocese.
Help us not to confuse our structures with Yours
Not to force our will or resist Yours;
As we pray for the incoming of Your Kingdom
May we grasp how this transcends not only nation, race, class and gender
But denomination and tradition too.
Comments
Amen, sister!
I feel for you. We're really blessed to have Anglican neighbours who do their very best to work as brothers and sisters in Christ, and they genuinely do 'get it' where it comes to being one in Christ. But from time to time, I'm aware that they manage this despite, rather than because of, the organisation of which they are a part.
And I guess that they might well say the same about me!
Thank you both. I am not wanting to knock our Anglicans, they are good people, and obviously do have their own pressures and agendas; it's just sad that it appears this has to trump "Ch Tog" at every major festival that happens along.
On the bright side, the half a dozen Anglicans and similar number of Methodists who came this afternoon seemed to enjoy the service and stayed AGES drinking tea and chatting!
Just to say that you are not alone in all of this
our local chruches together have the same difficulties over what time ecumenical services can happen and what normally ensues is a reasonable turnout from the host church (whereever it maybe) plus the usual suspects of ecu-enthusiasts who always make the effort.
Every so often though we get glimpses of something bigger hiding behind the diaries and vested interests and you think its worth it.
But then again some other times its hard enough to get Baptist churches thinking of the kingdom instead of local autonomy!