The Best Kept Secret…is US!

This year we have, thus far, welcomed 17 new members to our congregational family. This is certainly cause for celebration! Lately, I've asked a few of these folks a question that intrigues me….'why us?'

The answers vary a bit, but all ring true with something I've known since I entered my first Disciples of Christ congregation over 20 years ago. We have something very unique to offer the world! We ARE a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world! We are one of very few denominations ahead of its time and uniquely poised to be THE answer to this world of hurting people!

I've told bits and pieces of my story to some already, but for those not fully aware, here is just a little background for you. I did not grow up in the church…any church. My family moved a lot…averaging about every 6 months. My parents grew up in church as children and even stayed with the church through the early years of their marriage. I had always assumed they never went to church, because in my lifetime they didn't. I only recently learned from one of my older siblings that they did go to church when she was a little girl…they were there every time the doors opened and actively participated in all the events of that church.

So, what happened? The same thing that happens over and over again across the world and sometimes even in our little congregation…God's people do not always behave in Godly ways. Evidently a congregation my family belonged to moved to requiring something from its members that was beyond what my father was willing to give. As a result, he gave up on ALL churches. I've heard these kinds of stories over and over through the years…this church didn't like the way I dressed, that church wouldn't let you be a member if you didn't offer a full tithe, that church's leaders are hypocrites, that pastor is boring and puts me to sleep during the sermon, that pastor scares me with all his/her screaming and pounding on the pulpit…etc., etc. You name it, the excuse is out there and all are valid…but why give up on ALL churches just because this one didn't suit? Most towns have a wide variety of churches and denominations from which to choose. If all churches were alike, there wouldn't be the variety we see out there…so why give up on all, because of the ills of some?

I asked that question recently of dinner guests and their answer was simply, "because that's as good an excuse as any," or something like that…I don't recall the answer verbatim, only the way I felt about it. Is that it? Are people just looking for reasons to give up on organized religion? If that's the case, well, organized religion is sure giving plenty of reasons for people to give up on them.

Maybe there are people looking for an excuse to give up on church, and maybe churches are providing plenty of reasons to allow people to give up on them. But overall, I don't feel that is the case with our denomination nor our congregation. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has always been a movement towards unity, inclusiveness, understanding and grace and our church epitomizes these attributes. 

When the world debated the issues of slavery from the economic and human perspectives, our denomination was one of the first abolitionists…the balcony at Cane Ridge was removed in 1829…though like much of the world, our founders still believed in the supremacy of the white race. The good news is they moved on from there and took active roles in the Civil Rights Movement and continue today in their quest towards racial reconciliation. As for women's rights, our denomination ordained women in the mid to late 1800's in regions across the United States and Canada…and these women were preaching, baptizing believers and organizing churches. Our own church history tells us that 6 women organized the beginnings of this congregation!

In the early years of our denomination's movement others were arguing about how members should be baptized. We were exploring the many methods of baptism and how God is present in each faith traditions' practices. That's how they came to the understanding of acceptance of all forms of baptism as valid. They knew that the power of baptism was not held within the water, within the person being baptized or within the person performing the baptism. The power of baptism comes from God's presence in the event. Our congregation's acceptance of new members and validation of their baptisms, whenever and wherever they were, tells the world we are, all our Christian brothers and sisters, one in the body of Christ and working towards the common goal of bringing about God's kingdom on earth. We respect the faith traditions of other Christian churches and know that God is with them in matters of faith just as God is with us and how we do our work in this little corner of the world. We understand that it is when we come TOGETHER God's presence is most readily available, visible and powerful. 

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have a long tradition of being ahead of our time, but perhaps today more than ever before. Our congregation grows by welcoming in ALL of God's people into our faith family and we can see that by the many newcomers we've recently been blessed to count on our rolls. Our denomination gathers in Florida next week to discuss the many ways in which our people can reach out into the world and lead God's people to wholeness. We gather to discuss the concerns of our day and where our denomination can help in the healing processes. We gather together to worship and praise God in the midst of so many others who have seen the possibilities for our denomination in this world we serve. We gather together to strengthen one another for the journey of sharing the Gospel news in a rapidly changing world of growing suffering and need. 

I look forward to being a part of this gathering and to coming home to share our denominational news with each of you. Pray for our representatives, our nation and our denomination as the assembly gathers next week, as we will pray for each of you in our absence.

Blessings,
Tracy