This past Wednesday evening, I was moved by the discussion
that took place in the most recent ELCA webcast called A Place for All (http://livestream.com/elca). The four panelists discussed how we might go
about building more inclusive, truly welcoming congregations and ministries
within the ELCA. This is extremely important
because, in a recent poll, the ELCA came in second from the bottom in
denominational diversity. That’s
embarrassing. Shameful, even. Our congregations and ministries often do not
reflect the diversity of the neighbors who live and work around us. The webcast offered practical ideas and
suggestions for connecting with our neighbors more effectively. If you didn’t see the webcast, I highly
recommend it!!
One of the core premises of the webcast (and of my own
theology) is that God is already at work in the neighborhoods around our
churches and in the lives of our neighbors…
even those who are not a part of a church. They key to reaching out to our neighbors is
not, NOT to assume that God is absent from their lives. They key is to expect to meet God in and
through them. The key is to find
ways to grow together in our mutual
understanding and experience of who God is and who we are as God’s
children. In the webcast, Pastor Matt
Stuhlmuller, of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Chicago, offered an acronym for how
to do this:
B – Building bridges and relationships.
L - Listening to our
neighbor’s joys and concerns.
E - Eating with our
neighbors – food and fellowship bring people together.
S - Serving –
Responding to the needs identified by the neighbors (not us).
S – Sharing – mutually offering and receiving the gifts we
each bring.
In this week’s Gospel,
a Centurion – a solider of the oppressive Roman Army – is lifted up by
Luke as an example of faith and faithfulness.
He is an outsider. And yet, he
is both generous (he built the community’s synagogue) and recognizes and
respects Jesus’ power and authority.
Who are the Centurions living in the neighborhoods around our
communities of faith? Perhaps it would
do us well to leave our church buildings and get to know them. Who knows?
We may learn some powerful lessons about faith and faithfulness from
them. How, I wonder, have your
congregations and ministries learned something about God from your
neighbors? Please reply!
Peace,
Bishop Mike.
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