Saturday night's “Speak-Out” with Moderator Rev. Joan Gray revealed widespread concern from the Moderators’ group about the ongoing loss in membership in the PCUSA and the intractable divisions of opinion over a number of issues, but principally the ordination controversy, that divides the denomination. A couple of moderators even suggested that it may be time for some type of “gracious separation.” The crusty old football coach from West Texas finally got up and declared “woe, boo-hoo and misery on me! Can’t anyone find anything positive to say?"
Rev. Gray spoke directly to these concerns the next morning in her sermon in blunt and powerful words. She said “money in the bank” thinking is killing the church. “Money in the bank thinking” means that the church first considers what resources it has and then decides what it can do rather than asking what God is wanting us to do and finding a way to do it. The issues raised last night are “gifts to the church”, in her view, because we must learn to surrender in humility to God’s will rather than trying to do our own. Rev. Gray observed that want to “fix” our problems because it will make us feel good about ourselves—but it is not about feeling good about ourselves but about the glory of God.
Using the metaphor of the sailboat, which was an early Christian symbol for the church, she pointed out that there’s a weariness in the church that she hears wherever she goes. We are rowing as hard as we can, but the church is not meant to be a rowboat, but a sailboat catching the winds of the Holy Spirit. She called on all of us to join her in prayer and fasting every Friday for the spiritual renewal of the PCUSA.
Can we learn to hoist the sails of the good ship PCUSA and go where the Spirit will lead us?
Rev. Gray spoke directly to these concerns the next morning in her sermon in blunt and powerful words. She said “money in the bank” thinking is killing the church. “Money in the bank thinking” means that the church first considers what resources it has and then decides what it can do rather than asking what God is wanting us to do and finding a way to do it. The issues raised last night are “gifts to the church”, in her view, because we must learn to surrender in humility to God’s will rather than trying to do our own. Rev. Gray observed that want to “fix” our problems because it will make us feel good about ourselves—but it is not about feeling good about ourselves but about the glory of God.
Using the metaphor of the sailboat, which was an early Christian symbol for the church, she pointed out that there’s a weariness in the church that she hears wherever she goes. We are rowing as hard as we can, but the church is not meant to be a rowboat, but a sailboat catching the winds of the Holy Spirit. She called on all of us to join her in prayer and fasting every Friday for the spiritual renewal of the PCUSA.
Can we learn to hoist the sails of the good ship PCUSA and go where the Spirit will lead us?
14 comments:
Could our problem be that we are confusing a man-made denomination with the Spirit created Church?
Perhaps we need to be spending some serious time discerning what a denomination is really supposed to be?
Elaine
Norman, OK
Elaine,
Excellent point. For all the good intentions of its members, the PCUSA is still an institution created by man.
QC said "Can we...go where the Spirit will lead us?" Everytime I hear these statements I get frustrated, not because they are not well-intentioned, but rather because the different factions in the PCUSA already believe they are being led by the Spirit.
Dear Anonymous--
I have to concede your point. Much as I wish the Spirit would speak clearly to everyone, it doesn't seem to work that way, does it?
I know I spend more time complaining about the denomination than praying for it. I intend to follow Rev. Gray's Friday call.
Joan Gray sounds like she's on target. I agree that most of us believe we are "doing God's will" but we often seek only our own. Doing the surprising/"impossible"/out of character is often what God is leading us to do. Thanks QG for sharing the moderators' meeting details with us.
I'm no expert on "the big picture" (denomination-size), but I've seen a remarkable transformation in my own congregation--one I've seen work elsewhere too--since we stopped having "pledge campaigns" and worked together at discerning exactly what God is calling us to accomplish for the Kingdom. People get excited about the latter but cringe about the former. People give generously about that which excites them. Pledge campaigns are usually about the duty model, so people may give dutifully but often not very joyfully. So, if they're excited about specific work they're doing, they support it fully (financially & with their time and talents).
The trick is to apply this at the denominational level. (And for the record, I'm NOT PCUSA. But my denom.--UMC--is an even bigger behemoth, so I do sympathize!) How do you get a denomination excited across the board (besides hot-button legislative issues, that is)? Heck, we're so big that even a media slogan/logo can spark huge fights. Hearts, minds, and doors apparently AREN'T all open. ;)
I'll be sure to keep my PCUSA brothers and sisters in my prayers. Please feel welcome to do the same for us Wesleyan types.
I'm glad you are there.
Excellent metaphors.
I am very happy with my church in particular and with the denomination in general.
I am optimistic, but perhaps somewhat naive.
When Joan Gray spoke to our presbytery, her calm presence helped us hear that she doesn't represent a giant business but a fellowship of people, all of whom are working to discern God's will for all of us. I loved having her with us although I fretted that she would be mis-treated by our uncivil presbyters. I don't think she was.
Prayer and fasting on Fridays speaks to my heart.
Thanks again for letting us hear about this conference.
What a wonderful sermon that must have been. I'm praying for the PCUSA often.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving.
Delurking here. I always enjoy reading your thoughts, and this post in particular helped crystallize some thoughts that have been bouncing around for me about the ways my church and denomination decide how we're going to minister. Thanks for blogging.
I, too am called to fast and pray each Friday for the spiritual renewal of the PCUSA.
Thanks, QG, for your report.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and our moderator's. I read this to my session last night as part of our opening devotion.
Delurking! I met Rev. Gray a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed. She certainly puts the moderate in moderator, which is exactly what we need right now, IMHO.
And you know I think they have the right person in you to sail the ship of New Covenant.
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