The
parish I serve has a unique location: this community has a long history and
tradition of rowing, and many competitions are held here as a result. The
church building is itself right across the street from the grandstand.
Naturally,
we captialise on this.
Whenever
a big regatta is happening, we are a visible presence in the community! Placing ourselves on the front yard, we hold a barbecue. We
call it the "Holy Cow! BBQ" - it's become a brand, we try to milk it
for all it's worth, herd spectators our way, beef up sales... the puns are
udderly ridiculous. I'll MOOve past them.
The
thing with Holy Cow is it works for us; our location, our facilities, our
volunteers. It would not work in other
places, or on weekends when a regatta is not taking place.
And
that's fine; it doesn't have to. Likewise, other events at other parishes and
other communities and other circumstances wouldn't work here.
It
doesn't mean we can't try them; it just means we have to be realistic in our
expectations. Not every effort is going to be a rousing success!
And,
I dare say, not everything *should* be a rousing success. That leads to a
cookie cutter mentality, and that is not what the church should be about. The
church should embrace being the unique expression that it is and offering the
distinct gifts it has. Church ought not be just re-creating some event or
programme that someone else has done; it's about discerning the movement of the
Spirit, to engage with the charisms of the community, to exercise the best
possible ministry for each place and time.
Maybe
it's a praise band on a weekend night; maybe it's a derivative of Theology on Tap,
maybe it's a BBQ that helps raise funds for the mission, ministry, and outreach
while conversing with the local community.
And
once those things happen, and the Spirit is undeniable, the entire place can
delight in the authentic and simultaneous engagement with both the world and
with the divine. Not unlike that first Pentecost, the Spirit will move and blow
and inspire. And she'll do so differently for each faithful person,
congregation, and community.
Come,
Holy Spirit, come: inspire us to your will for this place.
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