I'm a boomer, just (I have more in common with Gen X), so the previous post was interesting to me. Our last Mission Congregation meeting was right in keeping with the article by Dr. Kathleen Henderson Staudt linked in that last post. Do we focus on "saving" Grace Church for the sake of saving it, or will we have a purpose driven by the gospel of Jesus Christ?
We are on Chapter 2 of Listening Hearts by Farnham, Gill, McLean and Ward. The chapter is "Call to Ministry". Our discussion begins with those things that stood out for us in the chapter, which we may or may not have underlined. We don't record this part of the discussion. It leads us to deeper understandings of ourselves and of one another.
Some things in the chapter, however, which sparked comment were "Ministry comes from the same root as minus, which means 'less'. "
"You did not choose me, but I chose you." (John 15:16)
"Doing good things - volunteer work, for instance - may not be ministry if God is not the motivating force - even if the person doing them is a Christian."
"One task of the Christian, then, is to recognize, affirm, and celebrate Christ's reconciling action in others..."
The concensus of those present is this time of sharing ourselves in the context of discussing ministry and discernment and call is very satisfying.
We then were brought up to date on upcoming opportunities to minister with the community of Norwalk. The Blessing of the Bikes is on for Saturday September 20th. Publicity is in the works. A couple of groups will have tables for distributing information. Jeffri has not heard back from some of the groups he contacted but the point is to hold the blessing as the first Grace Church Blessing of the Bikes. For those who wonder why bikes, Grace Episcopal is located directly across the street from the terminus of the Norwalk bike trail at Union Park.
Next report was on the Thanksgiving Dinner at East Norwalk UMC, to which we are lending our hands and hearts. Their contact person will come to talk with people at Grace after church on September 28 or October 5. Before that, we will have at least a partial list of things from which we can choose as a congregation as our work. The dinner is held on the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day.
I, your writer, then shared some of what I'm doing this year to work toward building up the people of Grace Church through spirit formation, education and worship, and to offer to the public those disciplines that help us live into the questions posed by following Jesus.
In discussing one of those offerings, the monthly Public Service of Healing, I shared with the group that I was thinking that Eucharist will not be included in this service: it will make the service accessible to more of the community, including non-churched persons, and it will not be mistaken for a service alternative to Sunday worship. The group agreed, and so there will be no Eucharist at that service. The order of worship will come from The Book of Occasional Services of the Episcopal Church, which includes the opportunity for laying on of hands and anointing for healing.
Other offerings are available at the "Worship and Events" and "Learning Opportunities" links on this website's home page (click "Return to the Home Page" at the upper left of this page and follow the link).
We are also committed to taking out the front pew on either side of the pews that face each other, and bringing the altar table down from the platform to the floor. This will make the altar more accessible to everyone who wants to serve around it, and to children. It will also give us a stagefor use by the community, and a place to array the trand new, up and coming bell choir of Grace Church. This will happen sooner rather than later.
Finally, we discussed one additional offering, which will be only for members of the parish, three "cottage meetings" in October to share with the congregation the status of Grace Church, put forward several options for the future of Grace Church, relevant to the article linked above, and offer possibilities for the membership to build and grow a future for Grace Church.
With regard to that article by Dr. Kathleen Henderson Staudt, the "radical community life" of which she writes is exactly what the Mission Congregation of Grace Episcopal Church is about, a community life that forms us for Christian discipleship. We pray, we study, we dig into our beliefs and thoughts, we laugh, we share concerns, we seek God's will in opportunities to serve while believing that anything we choose to do for the sake of the Gospel will bear good fruit, and next time we meet, there will be bread and wine to share informally.
The Mission Congregation meets the second Saturday of each month. Next gathering of the Mission Congregation is Saturday, October 11 at 1:00 p.m. All are welcome.
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