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Some interesting reflections, Darren. I couldn't help
thinking, however, that if we were to be really honest with ourselves about
'palliative care of congregations', we would have to admit that in reality we
really are only applying palliative care to the whole church as it is
functioning to day. This is largely because the God we have been proclaiming
through our doctrines and creeds is himself currently receiving
palliative care. The credibility of this God is and has been under attack since
we started to move into a scientific understanding of the universe and until we
start to perceive God in a way that makes sense of the world we live in, I
can't see much hope of a resuscitation.
I'm not sure where Bandy is in all this, but if we don't start
to take seriously the reality of the theological crisis that the church is in
then I don't think we are going to go very far. It is one thing to talk about
promoting "spiritual growth" but what does Bandy mean by it? Does he mean trying
to flog the same old worn out horse to a community that is now getting around in
aeroplanes or is he talking about a spirituality that talks about God in a way
that makes sense of the world as we know it today?
I think that until we are confident enough to talk about God
in the sort of language that gives people the ability to be comfortable with
their faith we will not be able to do much more than supply palliative care to
those who are stuck in the old formulas for God. Interestingly enough, I find
that the more I have the confidence to speak about God in commonsense language
and get away from the 'fall-redemption-atonement' doctrines that have so
thoroughly permeated Christian thought for around 1700 years, the more people
start to rediscover their enthusiasm for the faith journey because, although
they have been paying lip service to the doctrines for most of their lives, they
no longer really believe them in their hearts or their minds.
Just a few thoughts from a heretic.
Allan
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2004 5:14 PM
Subject: Tom Bandy Reflection Part One -
Palliative Care
I�ve decided to put
together some reflections on Tom Bandy�s visit, these will take the form of
small �articles� full of questions. I do not want to answer any of these
questions by myself, but I wouldn�t mind opening up a conversation about some
of the issues. The first one I�ve decided to title "Palliative Care",
the others will come out over the next week or two.
The questions that
Tom Bandy raises for each congregation could possibly have some dramatic
consequences for the Presbyteries and Synods within the UCA. One of the
consequences, should we take up some of his ideas is to begin to ask ourselves
some serious questions about �dying� congregations.
I believe that
there are a few congregations in the UCA to which we have called ministers in
a way to perform palliative care to the community until which time they
die. There might be some people who disagree with me, however on more
than one occasion I have heard people talk about calling ministers to a dying
congregation as they reflect on what could be done in that space after the
congregation dies.
Infact I once worked for a congregation in which the
administrator told me that the church building could survive financially
without a congregation. The funds that would be raised from weddings,
concerts, church hire, car park hire and rental space for offices could pay
for a minister, admin staff and a rector who could operate the day to day life
of the church (weddings, funerals and hire). This is a frightening idea,
a church without a congregation, without a mission, without the spreading of
the gospel.
My reflection on Tom Bandy�s conversation brings me to the
idea that this Palliative Care provision that the UCA is offering is self
serving. It is self serving only because in offering this kind of
ministry we fool ourselves that it is honoring the traditions of those who
have been a part of the community over the many years, when infact we should
be concerned with spreading the message of a God who is desperate to be
involved in the life of the community that we�re in.
This Palliative
care ministry also suggests to the Minister involved that their only skills
are to provide this service to a congregation or community, when infact we
should be calling ministers to work towards what Bandy calls the �Spiritual
Growth� of the community that will lead to people experiencing calls to
minister to other groups. As well as this the Palliative Care model
suggests that there is nothing more that the congregation can offer to the
community, an assumption that we know is not true. Actually, it�s an
assumption that I hope is not true.
So, what does this reflection of
Tom Bandy�s message mean for us as Synods and Presbyteries?
I�m of the
mindset that this means that we as the UCA need to say that we are not about
the Palliative Care of congregations; to churches that only want someone to
offer palliative care to them perhaps we need to say �no� to the idea of a
minister. Perhaps we need to be forthright in proclaiming that we are
not about this kind of care and only support the calling of ministers, deacons
and youth workers to congregations that are going to be about growing
spirituality and reaching out to the community.
But is this going
far enough?
Should these bodies stand up and close congregations
that are obviously self-serving in order to use the venue or funds to further
develop a ministry within the community? Is this dishonoring the people who
have built the church and been a part of it for many years? If we didn�t
stand up and make these decisions are we infact dishonoring those who have
gone before, who have spread the good news, who have built the churches in the
community? Would we be dishonoring the gospel if we allowed models of
palliative care?
Should we stand up
- when we
hear of churches that are developing self-serving activities in the
misunderstanding that what they are doing is a �missional activity�?
- and say to communities that buying a Data Projector
is not a new initiative worthy of funding unless it is attached to a missional
outcome, (to what Bandy would call a �Heartburst�)?
-
and ask questions when communities want to develop aged care facilities or
programs because of fears that the project might only be self-serving?
- and ask questions when churches want to start
up a Christian radio station for the Christians in the church because it�s
self serving?
To congregations surviving off of a lot of money in the
bank or in the form of property but are not in �active ministry,� (Tom Bandy
after all is talking about a church growth model) do we need to step in and
request that ministers not be called to the small congregation unless there is
an openness to develop new communities or worship services? And if this
is not the aim of the ministry and the congregation do we refuse the call of
ministers, even though finance is there to do so? Moving on from this do
we request the sale of property to go towards other churches growth? Are some
churches wasting their money simply to take care of themselves because they
can when there are some churches who are desperate for finance to support and
resource their ministry call to the community?
Ultimately the questions
raised by Tom Bandy could lead us to think that we as Presbyteries and Synods
should be very active in how we say:
We are not about the palliative
care of congregations.
We are not going to support any project that is
ultimately self serving.
We will support congregations who are working
towards reaching out to the community and spiritual growth.
We will not
call ministers into positions where they will be providing palliative
care.
When we call ministers we are openly encouraging people who will work
with the community towards spiritual growth.
What would happen if this
was the case? Could Presbyteries and Synods be involved in this? Should
we take on a proactive stance when it comes to these ideas?
I�m not
sure, but it offers some interesting possibilities.
Shalom
--
Darren Wright
Fool
Youth and Family Worker
UCA NSW Synod
Presbytery of Canberra Region
GPO Box 221. Canberra. ACT. 2601.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
02 6248 9311 (office)
"The Gospel must be constantly forwarded to a new address, because the recipient is repeatedly changing place of residence."
- Helmut Thielicke
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