Something unusual is happening when an Anglican newspaper publishes a “success” story about an Anglican parish.
We are accustomed to doom and gloom statistics in the church. We are familiar with tales of decline, low energy, and lack of resources. So it comes as a surprise to find an Anglican church that seems to be experiencing new life, energy, and vitality.
The current edition of “The Anglican Journal” tells the story of a once struggling church that has begun to discover new life and hope.
The Church of St. John the Evangelist in Thorold, Ontario attributes its renewed vitality to six key changes they made in their parish life:
1. longer more engaging sermons (twenty to twenty-five minutes)
2. more cooperative participatory leadership style
3. changes to liturgy including: the removal of “some repetitive aspects such as the Apostles’ Creed”, more flexibility in worship style, the abandonment of robes being worn by clergy leading worship, replacing liturgical books with words projected on an overhead screen, utilizing worship resources beyond the Anglican prayer books
4. removal of choir stalls and pews from the church
5. more contemporary music and a new music director
6. hiring a full-time children’s and youth minister, even though financial considerations seemed to make such a move ill-advised
No doubt some of these ideas seem horrifying and radical. A church that follows this course may seem to some to be “no longer Anglican.” It is unlikely that these six changes offer a perfect solution for every church to move forward as a vital Christian community.
In the search for new life in a community, it is always risky to take a program that has worked in one setting and assume the same innovations will automatically work just as well in a different context.
The journey to renewal of a church community is more complex than simply copying what has served well in one situation. Just as people are all unique, so each community is different. Changes that are effective in one church may be devastating in another.
Life-giving change in a church does not come from following a prescribed program. Rigid adherence to predictable inflexible prescriptions of what church must look like lie at the root of many of the problems faced by most churches in trouble.
New life comes when a community is willing to follow faithfully where the Spirit of God is leading that particular community.
In the video on their website that tells the story of their church’s process of renewal, the Rector speaks of having begun with prayer: http://www.stjohnsthorold.com/Video
We will never get where we want to end up unless we start in the right place. If we desire to end up with dynamic Spirit-filled communities, we must begin by opening deeply to that Spirit.
In the long painful history that is recounted in the Old Testament book of I & II Chronicles, there is one consistent difference between the few kings who are identified as having been “good” kings and those labelled “evil”. Consistently, the “good” kings demonstrated trust in God and resisted the temptation to place their faith in their own ability to rule effectively.
If the church is going to begin to turn around the difficult realities of the past few decades, it will not be by copying programs that have been effective in other communities. Renewed life in the Spirit will come as we follow the advice of Jehoshaphat the fourth king of Judah who counseled,
before you do anything, ask God for guidance. (II Chronicles 18:4 “The Message”)
If we want church “success” we need to start where we hope to end up with openness to the Spirit of God and a willingness to go wherever we become convinced God is leading.
6 comments
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March 14, 2012 at 8:16 am
joan
Prescriptive impositions of “success” into church communities do not work and are contrary to the gospel as I understand it. Following a world-view of success imposes a particular expectation onto the expression of the “Body of Christ” in a specific place and time. I have observed this pre-scribed approach over and over again and seen the sad fallout. In this context, I marvel at the faithfulness of the gathered community to remain. I am hearing the longing in people’s lives for that which is eternal, dependable and challenging at the same time. “Success” is not a measure of how the gospel is experienced: rather it is the opposite of the gift the Spirit offers us to enter into the journey and become more fully human in accepting both the joys and sorrows of life and living in the context of Christian community.
Thanks for your thoughtful response to this challenging article Christopher. I hope we will not subscribe to the “success” model. Much contemplation needed.
March 14, 2012 at 8:18 am
jaqueline
I am intrigued that nearly all of these characteristics of that church in Ontario are familiar to St Philip people.
But…just in case, I would like to pipe up ( ha ha ) as one who is grateful that we have Mary and the organ AND our contemporary style in the one service.
I am glad we have pews and also a happy chaos of movement of people and children. I would miss those pews. (Also, I am not one who likes the idea of circle formation in church…I don’t want to be distracted worrying that others are looking at me or being distracted by looking at lots of faces ).
I LOVE the robes you guys wear, they are beautiful and have an air of art about them and contribute to the beauty of the service and it’s symbolism.
And although I would be one who prefers the books to the screen.( it is such a visual hiccup)..but it is effective and that we use both and that we have access to both is great.
March 14, 2012 at 11:54 am
Tress
I suppose the problem is that all ages go to church. As we get older we tend to cling to the tried and true. if you think of young people’s houses with their contents and there high tech gadgets , and compare them to the treasured antiques of the oldies , there does not seem to be anything in common , But in any house there are parts to study in, parts to rest in , and parts where people of all ages come together for nutrition( of the spirit in the case of the church)And it should not really matter if it is modern or antigue or even just a bit old and scruffy.It is that gathering which makes us a family , and it should not be the configuration og the seating that maked it acceptable , but the warmth of the welcome , the sharing, of the spirit , and what you bring into it of willingness to participate and be accepted.
March 17, 2012 at 9:23 am
kimgye
I would welcome a change that would allow me to see more of my fellow parishioners than the back of their heads. I like our music. I also enjoy young folks worship music. The lyrics can be more understandable and relevant. There is also some great spiritual music written outside of the church I would love to hear more of. Nothing that is worth leaving over though!
Funny, I thought this post was a trial balloon Christopher was floating for longer sermon time.
March 17, 2012 at 12:30 pm
jaqueline
he already talks for 20 minutes doesn’t he?
March 17, 2012 at 12:31 pm
jaqueline
notice none of us touched THAT!