The most important “facts on the ground” were not created by us, whether “innovators” or “traditionalists,” whether primates or bishops or synodical structures. The most important “facts on the ground” were created by God. They are the men and women whom we might serve, to whom we might reach out, and whom we might invite into our midst.
Every Tuesday evening Phyllis Tickle goes to “Beer and Bible Night” at a local pub and has found that the Church is alive, vibrant and not always in church.
I have to admit, church marquees are probably my favorite part of any road trip; they are almost always either inspiring or amusing, and sometimes both. Every time I drive past a church, of any denomination, I find myself craning my head to see what their sign has to say. This one didn’t disappoint; the big black letters of movable type read: “Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.”
A few weeks ago, the New York Post published a bit (filed under “entertainment”) about the Church of the Holy Trinity, an Episcopal Church on the Upper East Side where canine congregants are commonly in attendance. Fast forward to this week, where Huffington Post columnist Verena von Pfetten gets a kick out of the story, but digs a little deeper and discovers that this “Episcopalian” church is more than dog schtick.
It is necessary to reclaim the “spirituality of sweet tea” in our world: the long talks, the hugs, the common meals and warm conversations. Yes, the world has changed, and the Church inevitably has to adapt to a fast-paced society. However, the essence of Christian community life cannot change. Some regard it as the strongest aspect as the early Christians’ most impressible aspect and wherever it still persists, the Church is strong and active.
As part of its Forum series, the Washington National Cathedral last weekend hosted Thomas Long, author of Testimony: Talking Ourselves into Being Christian, for a conversation about, well, conversation, and the role it plays in faith. More evangelistic models are better at “witnessing,” but mainline folks should see testimony just as central to their faith as worship is.
The Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, has dropped another rock in the pool of inter-faith relations by saying that the Church of England does not do enough to convert British Muslims. Back in January, the bishop caused a stir by saying that some parts of Britain had become “no-go areas” for non-Muslims. — George Pitcher, The Telegraph
The term “discipleship” is probably associated, for some of us, with more evangelical and fundamentalist traditions and “making disciples” primarily with overseas mission, often associated with cultural conservatism. But I believe it’s a term that we in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition should be reclaiming, reframing, and considering in light of our tradition and the culture surrounding us.
If you are going to be in the Washington D. C. area on June 7, please join us at the Diocese of Washington’s Evangelism Conference, featuring a keynote presentation by Brian McLaren, who gave a preview of his presentation in an interview with the Washington Window. You can register here.
Mark Brown is sharing a paper on how he’s been able to do mission and evangelism work in the online world of Second Life. If you’ve ever wondered how the church needs to modify or just tweak its message to connect with people, then this paper is worth reading.