Made for Mission - Rector's Rambling for July 19, 2020

Once again I return to St. John’s after a week away at the St. Michael’s Conference for Youth.  And this year’s Conference was different than any of the previous 24 Conferences! 

First we were at half-enrolment to allow us to have social distancing in the chapel, cafeteria (no buffet style this year), and classes.   Also, we did most of the Conference outside in the shade (I am sure I have sweated off an extra couple of pounds this week).  And what is normally a huggy group of people found ourselves expressing admiration for each other from 6 feet away!  

But despite the challenges that this year presented, what didn’t change was the glorious worship, the excellent teaching about Jesus and His Church, and the fellowship of devout Christian young men and women.   Those three things, in that order of priority, is what makes the St. Michael’s Conference for Youth top notch.

Over this Coronatide the Vestry has been doing a study, via zoom, on the book Made for Mission: renewing your parish culture by Tim Glemkowski.

Written for Roman Catholic parishes, there is much in common that is help for us as traditional Episcopalians.   The book has helped us to begin to identify issues to be corrected, and most importantly is helping us to focus and renew our parish culture to become Mission-focused.  

The author says we need to ask ourselves three important questions: What does it mean to be Christian? What does it mean to be a member of this parish? Why does our parish exist?

The right answer to all three is “Jesus Christ”.  Our challenge is to become focused on becoming better Disciples (followers of Jesus Christ) and better at sharing our faith in Jesus Christ.  In other words, our parish motto - To know Christ and to make Him known.

As we are coming back together in public worship and then soon (hopefully) for other gatherings we will be working on this focus - becoming better at following Jesus and sharing him!

This was the focus of the St. Michael’s Conference this past week.  And St. John’s needs this focus too!