Dear Friends,
Last Sunday, Margaret Doyle and I returned from a mission to the Dengie Peninsula called Footsteps. The mission lasted a week and took place at various mission centres around the area – I led a team in Althorne and Latchingdon, and Margaret was on a team in Burnham-On-Croach. We had many opportunities to speak about our faith with hundreds of people and we pray that many people were encouraged in their faith by the Mission. As we returned on the Sunday, we heard about the Melbourne Family Fun Day in which our church had played a leading part – the children’s work, the Bar’n’bus, the refreshments and general talking and sharing by the churches with the community.
Both of these activities have confirmed to me that churches have to make much more effort in meeting people where they are if we are to spread the Christian message and share the love of God with them. On the Mission, I saw so many churches that were full of very committed people doing great work to keep their churches going in the face of aging and declining congregations. All of them complained that they did not seem to attract people to their services, and some looked back to the days when their Sunday Schools were full, but sadly many of the churches had just concentrated on maintaining their existence and were all looking inwards. As a consequence, new people were not sought out to replace those who had died or moved away and the churches were in decline. A service I went to last Sunday was particularly sad – ten people present- apart from the mission team, the organist and the service leader, were all over 65. There was no minister, the worship appeared tired, and it seemed like the church would inevitably have to close if nothing further was done. Yet 200 yards down the road was a lively, vibrant church that was growing; probably because its congregation was committed to mission and prayer. I just wish some of the enthusiasm for mission from this church could be transplanted into the church I visited, for that was its only realistic hope of survival.
I know that change is difficult for many people and we all know that it is a rapidly changing world. In the face of such change it is tempting to seek to want to withdraw and retreat into what is familiar and comfortable. However it is God’s world and I believe that He wants us to fully engage with it and meet people where they are. The method of evangelism was very different on this mission than when I first started doing missions 17 years ago – we were much less direct and more conversational this time, and we used art and an exhibition to draw people in and discuss their feelings about life and faith- although the basic message of the gospel did not change. It is my view that we need to be bold and take risks and embrace new ways of worship and outreach that the people around us can relate to, and at the same time maintain our existing style and message that is so dear to us. This is not an easy task, and it is one that the Worship and Liturgy Group are grappling with over the next few months. Margaret Doyle and I are both doing a course starting in September on ‘Mission Shaped Ministry’ and we hope to present some of these new ideas to the Church in due course.
I am really encouraged that St Andrew’s is looking outwards and focussing on mission, and I think we can be justly proud of our efforts. But we must not be complacent and must keep up our efforts if we are to be faithful to our Lord’s commands to ‘go into all the world and preach the gospel.‘
A song I love – I had it at my licensing service five years ago – can be used as a prayer.
I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard My people cry;
All who dwell in dark and sin, my hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.
I will speak My word to them. whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if You lead me;
I will hold Your people in my heart.
In Christian love
Paul
