Service to the Larger Church

I have oft said in this adventure, that I never aspired to serve the church on the General Assembly level. Let me repeat – I never aspired to be a commissioner to the General Assembly. But here I am. And tonight, a friend said to me – Thank you for your service to the Larger Church. This wasn’t a “wise-cracker” comment, or sucking up to me, but rather a genuine expression of appreciation about the work, the service, which I, and so many others are engaged in.

Saturday night we elected the new Moderator, and then on Sunday we began our committee work. Sunday afternoon, all day (and until 10 p.m.) Monday and Tuesday until about 4:00 we continued in committee work. I served the church on the Polity Committee, and have cracked that I know more about AI (Authoritative Interpretation) in 36 hours of Polity Committee than I have known in 22 years of ordained ministry. But I must admit, that while we were discussing with one another, I often wondered if we were making any real difference.

And this afternoon, we returned to the body of the whole – the Assembly reconvened. There we were. . .sitting in the VERY COLD hall, praying with people we know and people we don’t know, laughing some (“make sure your voting device is turned on”), and being the Body of Christ – not always agreeing with one another, but staying engaged with one another.

My hope for the future of the church?
That we continue to be the body of Christ for one another.
That we continue to welcome those who have faith
and those who don’t have faith into our midst.
That we would seek out the best the Spirit has to offer us.
That we would use the brains God gave us to think creatively about what it means
to be the church in this time and place,
and not rest on the facade of some church we knew in the past.
Now is the time to engage our hearts and minds and spirits in bringing a cup of cold water and a word of peace. Now is the acceptable time. . . .

May our service to the Larger Church be just such a prophetic word.