May the Word be near you, on my lips and in your heart. May we all confess and bear witness to the good news of Christ, alive and active in our lives and the lives of those around us. Amen.
These words of Paul called the early church to examine itself. Paul asked the congregation to think about who was welcome in their midst. Their church included Greeks and Jews. It was mostly made up of city-folk. They had people from Jerusalem and from Galilee; from Thessalonica and Corinth, and many places farther away. Most of these groups would not be found together anywhere else. Even in the church, they mostly kept separate.
When Paul told them that there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, he was telling them that none of them was more deserving of the good news than any other. No group was closer to the heart of Jesus. No way of belonging was more valid. No blood made you more of a child of God.
Paul thought it was important to talk about being equal in God’s eyes because the church of his time was very divided. Each group believed that Jesus had spoken mostly for them and maybe a little bit for others. Each group thought that they were “the chosen people” and others were either unwelcome or needed to change their ways if they wanted to be included in Christ’s saving power.
Does any of this sound familiar?
Do we have groups in our church?
We have the obvious groups, like the ACW and the Lay Readers and Eucharistic ministers, but these are not what I’m talking about. These groups are made up of followers of Christ with similar gifts to offer. No, the groups I’m speaking of are here in the church, but we are less willing to name them. They are groups mainly, but not entirely, divided by generation. We have names for them that we use only when they aren’t here.
The old guard, who hang on the old ways.
The middle generations, who are afraid of change and of disappointing their parents.
The young parents and the youth, who are mostly absent; not because they don’t believe, but because they don’t feel welcome and they don’t see the point of this church.
This is the negative way of naming each of these groups. It isn’t helpful and it isn’t really true. At least it is not the whole truth.
So let’s look at a different way of naming ourselves. Taking the same generational groups and looking at them differently.
We have the elders of the church. They are to be honoured and respected for their experience and accumulated wisdom. We think of them as stuck in tradition, but in truth, they are the only ones among us who have seen our tradition change and grow to be what it is now. They are the ones who can help us to understand where we came from and look forward to where we are going.
Our members from the middle generations are the sustainers of the church. They are the ones who have the time to devote to the operation and vision of the church.
The younger generations are our future. It is for them that we labour. Jesus called us to support each other, but that is only the start. Our mission is not to those within. Our mission is to reach out to those who are not here. Our mission is to be a place and a people that proclaim good news to those who have not heard it already.
This is the next part of Paul’s message. “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”
How are the younger people ever supposed to hear about Christ if they are not here? Our children are not here because they are not truly welcome. They have not been welcome for a long time. Their parents are not here because they were not welcome when they were kids. Our way of being church does not treat this group equally. Our children do not have the same right to be here as we do, unless they are willing to behave like little adults. We are willing to put up with a little bit of noise, but not too much. We are willing to make an effort to include them for special services. But we are not willing to let them be present as the children that they are!
“And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard?”
Many people believe that our church, and I don’t mean this congregation, I mean the Anglican church and other mainline churches, “our church,” is dieing. This is not true. There are Anglican churches that are thriving. There are Anglican churches in this diocese that are growing. Every one of these churches has embraced their children. They have not only told the children that they are welcome. They have included them in all parts of worship. They have made the children and the youth equals in their congregations.
Our children are not here.
I don’t know what changes we need to make for the children to be truly welcome.
I don’t know what we will need to do to teach them that they are welcome and that they have a place here.
I do know that we need them here.
I do know that, together with God’s help, we can bring the children back.
Together, with God’s help, we have a strong future in this church.
Thanks be to God.
