Chad Abbott and I have gathered together from time to time to talk about ministry in our congregations, and in our city. In those conversations we have found ourselves often stumbling upon the observation that the Church (big "C") often has way too little to do with the economic life of the community around us. We have often talked about the possibility of collecting stories from one another and from others in churches around our city (and other places) that show in what creative ways people are finding to invest in people who come to them in times of economic hardship. When people go to a doctor to get medicine -- the doctor tries to determine what is causing the illness and then treat that. Too often we in the church seem comfortable with treating the symptoms and ignoring the underlying issues.
Speaking for myself -- I find it stunning to see how easily the Church often seems to believe it exists in isolation from the world around it. For those of us in urban and rural areas you would have to not be paying attention to think that what is happening to your congregation IS what is happening to your community. And if you are in suburban or "growing" metropolitan areas -- you only would have to set aside hubris to think that the prosperity of these days doesn't have a little something to do with what is going on around them in their communities.
Both of our congregations are places where we are doing what Gandhi might have called "experiments in truth." We are watching what people around us are doing to invest in the Spirit of God alive in the hearts and minds of people in the parishes we are blessed to serve. Every day we get to see people who are struggling to make ends meet financially, but who are bright and creative and energetic to eager to share the gifts of the Spirit in their lives with the people around them. Oh yes, I'm not ignoring the fact, that many people come feeling beat up and like there is no real option out there. But we know that it is not so. I don't hesitate to say it at all -- that it is Jesus who reveals this to us.
Jesus paid attention to what was happening around him. When the disciples wanted to send the crowd away because they were hungry - Jesus saw an opportunity for the most amazing party. And man, that is just so easy to miss. I know that I miss it all the time. And I think that this blog is our attempt to try to notice and celebrate the activity of the Spirit -- in real and concrete ways contributing to the economy -- in all its fulness of our life together.
Years ago, Wendell Berry said that he couldn't think of a better economy than the "kingdom of God." My friend (our friend, I should say) Marc McAleavey, just told me a story about something that happened to him yesterday that reminded me of what Berry writes about so well - that there is real economy in the mutual affection of neighbors.
Finally, let me say a word of thank you to the Rev. Dr. Philip Amos Amerson who first coined the term "Street Hymns and Cathedral Tears" to me many years ago. It has continued to ring in my ears and it only seemed appropriate to choose that name for this blog -- because Phil is one who convinced me that the Church could and would be a place where the gospel not only can be lived out and bear witness to the gospel in the world around -- but that when it does -- the good times really roll!
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