“So Much More Than a Building…”
Dear Friends,
When you think of ‘the Church’, what is the very first thing which comes to mind? More often than not, when I’ve asked this question, most people offer the usual answer, ‘the building’. That is in fact very understandable, because our lovely English church buildings are truly unique and special places within the local community – generally quite historic places where beauty, tranquillity and ‘treasures from the past’ can be found and enjoyed, and that is certainly true of our wonderful historic church buildings in our benefice of All Saints Alrewas, St Stephen’s Fradley, and St Leonard’s Wychnor!
In the New Testament of the Bible, however, ‘the Church’ is always characterised as ‘the people of God’, and ‘the body of Christ’. Although the Church has a meeting place (perhaps a historic building, perhaps a more modern structure), the Church as the ‘body of God’s people’ is always understood to be, first and foremost, a living organism (very much like your own body) which, precisely because it is alive, is quite naturally changing since it is constantly growing and developing.
Indeed, this is a vitally important feature for all of us to recognise and accept. A Roman Catholic priest who is a friend of mine was lamenting how so many of his parishioners seemed to expect ‘the Church’ (both as a meeting place, as well as a gathering of God’s people) always to remain the same, and who found it immensely difficult to embrace change for the Church when it came along. He then shared with me a short written reflection which he’d acquired somewhere (author unknown, sadly), which may well offer some challenging and insightful ‘food for thought’ for each of us as we consider what it means to be (in the words of this piece’s title), a ‘Church Alive’:
“Living churches are constantly changing… Dead churches don’t have to.
.
Living churches have lots of noisy babies and young people… Dead churches are fairly quiet.
Living churches are constantly improving..... Dead churches simply focus and planning for the future… upon their past.
Living churches are intense and earnest about their worship… Dead churches aren’t.
Living churches move out in faith… Dead churches operate totally by sight.
Living churches support missions heavily… Dead churches keep it all at home.
Living churches focus on people… Dead churches focus on programs.
Living churches are filled with generous givers ........ Dead churches are filled with ‘tippers’ who only give their ‘spare change’
to God.
Living churches dream great dreams for God… Dead churches re-live nightmares.
Living churches have fresh winds of love blowing... Dead churches are full of bickering.
Living churches don’t have ‘can’t’ in their dictionary... Dead churches have nothing else but.
Living churches evangelise…. Dead churches fossilize.”
You may (or may not) happen to agree with everything said in this reflection, but – above all – I do hope that it will stimulate each of us to reflect upon our churches in Alrewas, Fradley and Wychnor as ‘living organisms’ which continue to grow and change naturally (never seeking ‘change for change’s sake), as we claim Jesus’ own promise that we may have true life in him abundantly.
So, then, how shall WE live? The answer lies within each of us – and I truly hope that, individually as well as together, we will choose abundance of life - with all of the natural change and growth that it implies!
Your Vicar and friend,
John Allan