~We all are one in mission~

Dear Friends,

I have been an Episcopalian long enough to have lived through the national church declaring the season after Epiphany a season of mission as an overture to at least two fervent attempts to fill the pews with evangelism on the part of its members. There is much to be said about making this season of Sundays after the Epiphany a season of mission. The gospels every year involve the baptism of Jesus (in which he is given a missionary call from God), the calling of the disciples, and a great deal of teaching about who we are to be as followers of Jesus.

While this contributes to how we understand who we are, and how we are to follow Jesus as members of Grace or most Christian churches, it isn’t a membership campaign per se. After all much of what Jesus asks us to do sounds so easy on the surface, and in practice is difficult to do. How many of us are ready, let alone eager, to love the world be it friend, family, neighbor, stranger, or enemy, as Jesus does. Membership is often all about being among those who share a common set of goals, aspirations, and are rather like-minded about achieving them. Given the number of wars in the world this isn’t always a good thing. Whereas the church, the body of Christ is as the hymn says all about our ministries being different as are our gifts with the same call, “to touch the lives of others by God’s surprising grace so every folk and nation may feel God’s warm embrace.”

So, it was no surprise that big evangelism pushes in the Episcopal Church that were mostly about upping our numbers, were not successful. On the other hand, as a long-time interim here’s what I see as a huge success that people know that they have a mission and call in Christ and know the importance of practicing justice, reconciliation and hope amid despair. That’s huge!

In this season of mission, we are invited to be one in mission and call. If you have no other resolution this new year, being a “vessel for God’s redeeming Word” is a pretty good place to start. If this has some traction in your life, reach out, and invite a few others to come and see, and join us as well.

God's peace and keeping,

Mary +