The National Gathering of Pastors and Leaders: Crossroads and Companionship
The theme for this years’ gathering, Beyond the Crossroads: Companions on the Journey, attempts to capture in a few words the gleanings sifted from hours of observation, interaction, and reflection with members and friends across the Australia Mission. The purpose of this article is to place these siftings into a context that might facilitate further conversation and response.
The Community of Christ has a rich history here in Australia. Facing crossroads is nothing new to us, nor is the recurrent testimony of God’s presence. Our story is full of examples of devotion, sacrifice and commitment. Countless individuals have given faithful service in congregations. Many have served at the World Church level and have provided exemplary leadership there. Others have made invaluable contributions on the national and international stage. We carry memories of reunions and camps, youth groups, women’s and men’s groups, of participation at Spec and the International Youth Forum, Discover and before that Leadership; of Peace trains, elder housing, compassionate ministries, and Camp Quality, not to mention conferences, business meetings and potlucks. The list goes on and on. The memories are powerful and important.
Our story has been set in the context of dramatic cultural change. Like many denominations we have experienced a diminishing effect resulting from these changes as people found other avenues for living which replaced involvement in congregational life. Recognizing that the reasons for this are complex, and, without impugning motives, a sense of diminishment lingers and we grieve the loss.
As a faith community we have been undergoing internal transformation from being a people with a prophet to becoming a prophetic people. Where we might once have been content, or resigned to have the tenets of our faith articulated for us by a prophetic leader we now sense the call to participate more fully in the prophetic process. This means we must now wrestle with the demands and uncertainties inherent to that calling in ways which are fundamentally different from before.
Coupling the cultural changes with this deepened sense of calling we find that many of the ways we have functioned as congregations are difficult to sustain. Fundamentally, the demands of being a prophetic people and the way that is lived out in congregational life are different from much of what we have known in the past; this difference is not in kind, but rather in depth and intentionality. Our present crossroad, and the uncertainty associated with it, is experienced as the struggle between retaining congregational structures that once served us well but do so no longer and discovering other ways of forming faithful, compassionate community. Our experience as a people with a prophet is behind us. Our work however as a prophetic people is only now opening up to us.
Ultimately, our security rests in the Divine. Conversely, as an expression of Divine trust in us, we have been tasked with creating structures that facilitate sustainable response to God’s call which are appropriate to our context. As such, there is no one “best way” to structure congregational life but rather multiple ways. The decision to explore these requires discernment and intentionality. Once that decision has been made we have access to a host of conceptual, sacramental, and organizational resources providing all the ingredients needed to create compassionate community. Among these are: a mission statement that resonates with God’s call: To Proclaim and Promote; our name, infused with sacred reassurance; principles which have endured the passage of time (and countless crossroads); an understanding of generosity which reflects the very nature of Divine grace; a comprehensive set of basic beliefs; an understanding of what makes for healthy congregations, each with the ability to express a unique response to God’s call; a deepening of our understanding of the nature of discipleship and giftedness, including priesthood giftedness; a varied body of scripture; a rich history; sacraments capable of infusing new life; and, clarity into our reason for being: God’s mission, as exemplified in the life and ministry of Jesus, is our mission.
What excites me is that in the midst of whatever uncertainty we face, I have witnessed God’s faithful response to our attempts to become this prophetic people. Existing congregations can and are being born anew. Entirely new congregations are being born in places and among people where none existed before. We have youth who are sensing God’s call in their lives and we have older members who still feel that their journey of faith is worth giving and living their lives for. We have members who are sensing anew the value of sacred community and are considering how they might recommit their time, talent and treasure to making such community a reality.
Crossroads in life are a given. They exist at every turn. Companionship on the other hand, is a choice. We decide how we will face the crossroads that present themselves to us and we decide whether we will do so together. Whatever we decide, God has promised to accompany us on this journey. In the face of all the uncertainty surrounding us and in light of the resources we have available to us, is this journey toward compassionate community worth the effort and sacrifice required? For me, absolutely!
Ken Barrows
Mission President
