Last January, at the Annual Meeting, I was intrigued and inspired as I heard our Vestry announce its desire to grow Saint Philip's. What a commendable goal, to provide a spiritual home and community to still more who seek Christ.
The vestry had decided to fund programs at levels that would offer more to [Saint Philip’s members and visitors] than was immediately affordable. Being a good worrier, I was immediately concerned about the prospects for a good outcome. It takes care, planning, and work to produce good outcomes.
Is funding of programs, by itself, enough to produce growth? --No-- Was this step a part of a larger plan of Vestry? I asked Father Ray how Vestry planned to accomplish this desired growth. I also asked what the experts had to say, because surely this would be important to churches at large.
Father Ray gave me a book, written by just such an expert, Howard Hanchey, an Episcopalian priest. I read this book in short order because it was on point, and highly illuminating. I let Father Ray know that I thought it was important for at least those interested in growing the church to study this book. Father Ray assessed the situation, and decided to form a group to work through this book. He was kind enough to ask me to help lead the discussions.
I also noticed that the Prayers of the People had come to include a prayer for Growth and Vision. I liked this prayer. However, I did find it worrisome, which is my own weakness, but let me tell you why I found it so.
I believe that prayers of petition or intercession, and even less
focused prayers, can engender hard work. One cannot discern God's will
and then walk away. Isn't this at the heart of sin?
I heard a sermon in Maine this summer, in which the minister wondered aloud whether people avoided prayer because they didn't like God's answers. There is an obligation to respond, so this prayer for Growth and Vision, to me, held both promise and, perhaps unfairly, the possibility of disappointment.
Suppose that one petitions for good health, and that soon thereafter one encounters advice or a story from a friend, or from an article, or from a broadcast, that carries an answer. Of course one has to be vigilant for God's reply, which itself requires work and skill, but let me come back to that. If the reply is that one should have a good diet and a regimen of good exercise, then God has shown the way. The hard work of following a good diet, and conscientiously exercising remain, but if they are obeyed, would we not say that God has largely granted this petition?
Indeed, I would say that, having prayed, one is obligated to accept the reply. In the Catechism in our Book of Common Prayer, on page 856, there is a very helpful description of prayer: Prayer is responding to God, by thought and by deeds, with or without words.
When our prayers are petitions or intercessions, we are inviting a commitment. It is through God's grace that we have the opportunity to respond.
God's answers come in all forms. These may include thoughts, feelings, ideas, dreams, hints, possibilities, tools, opportunities, availabilities, words or acts of others, events, coincidences, connections, acts of love or kindness, or moments of clarity. It is a remarkable language, a divine language, perhaps even a music.
If God spoke to us in Latin, would you not want to become a Latin scholar? One needs to become familiar with God's language, to avoid missing or misunderstanding his replies and help. We do not want to be deaf or blind.
When we hear a spiritual minute, this is one way in which we learn God's language. Someone translates for us, by pointing out just how God has acted in that person's life. There are other ways of course, for example by studying the scripture lessons, and by listening to sermons, and by sharing in smaller groups. Spiritual minutes, and [any other story telling that teaches us even a small part of God's language], provide precious moments. We can't have too many of them.
Arch Deacon Bill Coyne visited us last week, and after the 10AM service, he stayed with us for almost three hours to share his observations on what Saint Philip's could consider doing differently in order to be more demonstrably inviting and welcoming of visitors and newcomers. Many of the answers were insightful, and his choice of questions provided a brief tutorial on how to think about some of these issues. We would like new worshipers to join us in our walk with Christ.
I thought that Father Bill's suggestions were excellent. At the same time, I had hoped that he might also talk with us about the central aspect of what people seek, and perhaps on another occasion he will.
Suppose that we were to bring more visitors through our doors. Then what?
The experts remind us that people seek the Lord. There is no shortage of people seeking God, and there are many churches that are thriving because they are good at their mission.
It shouldn't be a surprise, but I am often nevertheless struck by the fact that the stated mission for the Episcopal Church (also found in the Catechism on page 855) to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ, and the fact that church-goers seek to be restored to unity with God and each other, (these two missions) match so perfectly. Who goes to which church, if any, depends to a great extent on how well each church pursues and realizes its mission.
When a visitor comes through our doors, there may be much for this visitor to learn. Foremost, the visitor wants to learn God's language, to be able to [pray and to find God's answers], and to acquire the will to respond to those answers. A parent wants this for his or her child. It is our mission to help each person in this central pursuit.
Last Winter, when we prayed for vision, God replied by giving us the tools and skills to acquire a vision, and we responded to this answer, by working hard [in using these tools and skills] to gain a better understanding of how to be more successful in our mission.
This work included study and lengthy discussions in order to understand well the various issues and views. The group included Father Ray, me, Steve Slezek, Janet Couch, Anne Bezio, Paul Rattelle, David Brown, Janet Gallenstein, Faith Hall, Ann Truehart, Joyce Dupont, and Fran Hewes. Through this response, we acquired a vision. It will likely evolve, through dialogue, but it is already rich with specific ideas.
Let me try to convey this vision in a single sentence. The [visitor or newcomer or member] needs to feel safe among friends, and to feel at home among family, throughout the entire journey of [learning God's language and learning to pray], and this person needs to sense that this always awaits him or her, from the first moment of walking through our doors. Well, maybe that should have been two sentences.
Last Winter, when we prayed for growth, God replied by giving us the courage, the energy, and the will to go ahead and take steps in accord with our vision. Let me mention some of these steps.
There are more ideas that we have formulated, and I have no worries whatsoever that our faithful stewards of Saint Philip's will take them on. (By the way, you are a steward if you contribute to the well being of Saint Philip’s.) You are very welcome to join this effort and conversation. In particular, Father Ray and I will be leading a mission support group, for those who wish to be able to report progress or to discuss various ideas, projects and efforts with an interested, creative, and supportive group.
By our having moved forward with some of the steps [that will take us toward our vision], with more to come, we are responding to God's answer to our prayer for growth of mission. We are doing the hard work required by that answer.
We have prayed very well. We have listened carefully and vigilantly, we have heard, and we have worked. There is more praying, listening, and responding to be done, a prayerful dialogue to be continued with God.
I am moved by this act of faith that I have witnessed since January.
Let us bow our heads. Lord, through your grace we are able to pray. Thank you for helping us to work for vision and growth. Thank you for watching over us, now and forever. Amen.