Ancient Anglican

Church divisions, particularly those that mirror the divisions in society, make the gospel a lie. If we vilify our fellow Christians and create a community based on a mutual dislike of the other, then what do we have to offer the world as an alternative way of being.

We are called to become intentionally rooted in our community and to be woven into the life of this community. This means physically going out in the parish, not simply to be of service but to be with others.

At this level, we have the power to change the systems based on our local situations, local needs, and local resources. Limiting ourselves at the parish is a strength because limitations take us out of the theoretical and into the practical.

The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world.

As a particular congregation, with a particular story, in a particular place, we necessarily have our limitations. However, those limitations help establish our particular charisms. Most importantly, these limitations give us the ability to see what portion of the Invisible Church we are to go out into.

The question is whether the church is about a performance or about a community.

We must listen before we become active. He names this active listening before being programmatically active as “sacred curiosity.” Too often, he writes, we are helpful without being curious. We seek to provide answers without first actually figuring out the questions.

The middle concentric circle is concerned with How the church carries out the Why. The answer to the How is to “listen intently and pay attention to the Holy Spirit, who is already at work” and simply join in.

Our Why is “God’s Dream.” For Soren, God’s Dream is that of a reconciliation and renewal of all things for, as Paul writes, “Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Cor. 5:18

People do not buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Those who start with “Why” have the ability to inspire (literally, to fill with the spirit) those around them.

We in the church too often ask the wrong questions such as “How do we fix the church?” or “How do we make the church more relevant?” No one outside of the church cares about these answers.

The church is not a building, it’s not a budget, and it’s not a hierarchy. Rather it is the people of God, doing the work of God, and bringing the light and spirit of God into the world.