Blogging April 23 2008 8:17pm (uploaded next morning)
We are literally beginning the business session RIGHT now…
VERY EXCITING
I walked into this room about an hour ago and I entered into an AMAZING room full of warm hearted folks singing “Brother Sister let me serve you…” and I was struck by several things. First, I had come home. These thousands of people (2000?) are my church family in part. These are the beautiful people who have come from around the globe (literally) because we believe that the story, person and church of Jesus Christ gives the world hope and offers life.
Second, I was struck by how strange it seemed to me that the person speaking was white, older and very American. My church is no longer white, old or American in a real way – but as I found an empty seat I looked around and the people in front of me were from the Philipeans (sp) and next to me, from Zambia. Now I felt like I was home.
Worship was amazing – the singing was beautiful and the prayers moving. However, I only heard part of the sermon so I cannot speak (write) to it’s efficacy. That’s ok, I don’t like sermons anyway. But I will tell you this – the communion was fascinating. Deacons gathered with bishops and all the serving and presenting and EVERYTHING was done by clergy. I found myself sad. I know that this is a recognition of their special call to leadership in worship and sacrament, but in my local church, I am constantly blessed by the leadership of laity in serving communion (not presiding just sharing bread and wine)
Maybe I’m just struck entirely this week by the idea of the “bar” of the conference, the sense of membership and exclusion, and the question of what is “in and out.” I don’t like the idea of people getting to determine ins and out. And yet… everyone is invited to the table, none are held back.
This is the church – where everyone eats together. Where the “Robert’s rules” are applied and established so that fair voice and vote may be had by all. Systems CAN be uplifting rather than oppressive, and churches can model that for the world… (I’m thinking of the 30 seconds on the time clock for each electronic vote, a lot of time if English is your first language, but not much time at all if you are the translator trying to keep up…). When God’s people gather in the name of Jesus Christ to “make Disciples for the Transformation of the world,” the Spirit of God (might) rest upon ALL the people.
May God’s Spirit of love, peace and truth lead us this week.

Categories: General Post