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September
2002
Summer reading
points to interweaving themes
Three of the books that found their way into my head this summer
include: "In Praise of Congregations - Leadership in the
local Church today," written by Bishop Charles E. Bennison,
Jr. with Kortright Davis, Adair Lummis, and Paula Nesbitt; "Many
Servants - An Introduction to Deacons," written by Archdeacon
Ormonde Plater; and "Hope From The City," by Dr. John
Vincent. As we move into September and what for many of us becomes
a new program year, almost as measurable as Advent I and Jan.
1, I make the following observations from the readings that
seem to be appropriate for our life in the diocese of Newark.
"In Praise of Congregations" makes a substantial
case for the need to understand the context of today's congregations,
insisting that good leading requires good reading of the particular
culture and history of each congregation. Earlier this summer,
a young man posting on the Newark List enthusiastically invited
us to a duo of musical events in his congregation, which is
Christ Church. He simply forgot to tell us which Christ Church
he was describing. When this was pointed out to him, he responded
with words like, "I'm sorry, I forgot that we are not
unique."
Well, Chris, the truth is, you ARE unique.very unique! Not
too many churches in the diocese have a chapel for Our Lady
of Walsingham.or tea parties in her honor!.while at the same
time being a congregation with significant outreach ministries
in the local community involving many parishoners . Good clergy
and lay leadership, having taken the time to read the history
and culture of the congregation, has produced a congregation
on the move in Belleville.
The troubling part of this book for me was the suggestion
that main-line denominations are experiencing a decline in
denominational strength and a corresponding growth in the
strength of congregationalism. This gets a bit tricky for
me. I continue to believe that our task is to learn to read
the history and culture of our congregations, and to strengthen
congregational life. It is the work of the denominational
diocese to gather and provide appropriate resources for congregations
to carry out their mission.to effectively organize a strong
community life where lively worship and education feeds and
nourishes the gathered community in order to engage the world
which could be rural, small town, suburbs or inner-city. I'm
looking for partnerships.
Archdeacon Ormonde Plater from Louisiana provides an easily
readable history of deaconal ministry, together with some
discussion of an evolving understanding of deacons in the
church today in his book "Many Servants." When we
talk about deacons today, we are not only talking about service
ministry, since in fact each of us is called to a ministry
of service by our baptism. In addition to their own service
ministry, deacons are being called to be in the world, bringing
an understanding of the needs of the world to the church,
and engaging the community of faith in mission and ministry
to address those needs.
I have invited Archdeacon Plater to join us in the Diocese
of Newark Oct. 19, to talk with us about the renewal of deaconal
ministry in the church today. Hattie Stone and the sub-committee
on deaconal ministry from the Commission on Ministry is organizing
the day, to which all are invited.whether you are discerning
a possible deaconal ministry in your own life, or whether
you are interested in learning more about how a deaconal ministry
in your congregation might be appropriate.
John Vincent writes about his Sheffield experience (also
writes about Geoff Curtiss taking him to see the Full Monty
in New York!) and talks about the importance of local communities
of faith working from the bottom up, rather than the top down.and
concentrating on grass-roots ministries.visible projects in
which people can invest their time and talents.
Well, it's deadline time for this article. I have had the
opportunity to play golf four times during the past two weeks.the
temperature was in the 90's each day.I remember distinctly
looking at my three friends in the foursome and discovered
I was golfing with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! I'm ready
for Fall, and the continuation of our journey together.
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