Saturday 13 March 2010

www.yourchurchwedding.org Give it a hit and see what you think!

A great time with the Weddings Project this week. How solid some of these Yorkshire towns and cities are - large public and commercial buildings, squares, public art together with a landscape that speaks of solidity and permanence. Yet it is obvious that it is also a story of cultural diversity in a changing, consumer shaped world.

One of the key issues that keeps emerging through all our sessions is that of the role of the ordained leader in this changing cultural landscape. The Weddings project, on the basis of quality research, makes the point that the 'Vicar' makes the difference. A warm and relational Vicar to be honest. A Vicar who doesn;t just stand at the altar, in the pulpit or even at the door but  spends quality time outside the confines of church.

Jean, a staunch Mother's Union member in a Midlands Diocese, fully on board with what we were saying, made the point: 'the church people in our villages would never put up with Vicars who spent more of their time with those outside the church - we pay for the vicar to look after us.....'  But surely the Pastor/ Priest is there to look after 'us'? Sounds quite reasonable in 'parish share andconsumer churchland' - except when you factor in Jesus. 


The answer is yes and no. I use the example of Jesus and the disciples. They were 'looked after' but always within the context of becoming a sign of the Kingdom of God through being fairly hands on in terms of 'doing' the kingdom. Their life as Christ Followers was shaped by concepts like risk, trust, relationship, community, healing, justice, love, 'go', 'hands on' and so on.


The idea that Christian leaders should be there for 'us' - like our own personal chaplains - is really a product of a settled view of the church rather than that of a journeying people seeking to be active signs of the Kingdom of God in the world of today. 


It's not that congregations don't want their Vicars to be 'out there', it's when they start taking it too seriously that the problems can occur. The ordained should be beyond the door as long as they are always at the altar/pulpit and everywhere in between. To be honest a lot of books I asked potential ordinands to read about ordained ministry seemed to be re-inforcing this idea. To me it seems to be taking the concept of elasticity to breaking point. And to be honest leaders will make a choice - either by default, compromise, ill-health, the pressure of unrealistic expectations or a combination of all these.


One minister told me that she struggles to be 'out there' as much as she would like or needs to be. The percieved needs and expectations of the congregation mean that her time is spent with services for those who like that sort of thing, meetings, sick visits, endless building issues. This means that time to engage personally with the wider community and then to work out how the church community can share in that engagement simply doesn't happen or comes a poor second. Worst of all this tension can often lead to disillusionment and even despair.


Another priest responsible for a large northern Abbey church, (in a tradional Anglican style), made the point that he felt his leadership was becoming defined by the word 'prophetic'. We both took that to mean 'bloody hard', always challenging people and often criticised for not being 'available'.  I know how he feels! He has done a great job in that place but it is obviously still very hard. He said that much of his time is now consciously spent in the wider community despite what the 'church members' think. I really pray for leaders like this, (often with young families), who are not going to give in easily but will continue striving to reshape introverted church communities. I call such people Missional leaders and we simply don't have enough of them. Even Pioneer Ministry seems to have been hi-jacked and shaped by too many with in house agendas.

However much I struggle with the thought, it is true that leaders must set the pace and the context for the mission of the church. This is a prophetic and pioneer ministry and can be both demanding and mis-understood especially from within the faithful at all levels.
Some of you reading who are involved in church leadership may wish to comment and share your own stories. Church members reading this may have their own perspectives to share. It is a conversation that the whole Church needs to have - for God's sake!

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