Info on 2011 Holy Land Pilgrimage

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March 07, 2008

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Steve L.

As the counter on my blog shows the days to the opening of the Church of the Resurrection in Brandon Manitoba are becoming fewer. We shall taste the fruit of the vine finally that morning and I suspect we will reap a great harvest. Those here chose to plant rather that confront, a solution that may not work everywhere. The diocese will have no one to bus in to fill empty pews and my friends who still minister in the ACoC will have a challenge. God's path is not always smooth but always rewarding.

joseph

Steve: thanks for your input. I pray that God will bless your endeavours. Personally, I am hoping that our diocese (Edmonton) will have some vision around intentional evangelism and that church planting will be a natural part of that. One of the things which kept being repeated at the conference was the need to form a community first, and only then would one need to even think about the usual focus of Anglican thinking: buildings and worship services.

Peter

Baa....

joseph

of course, sheep need a shepherd...

Donald

Building a community? Just wondering, where did practising hospitality fit in to the whole church planting coference?

Steve L.

And have we got a Shepherd handy. +Malcolm is our pastor for now and I if you have never heard him speak check here

Malcolm+

Calm me-self. For a second there I thought I'd been promoted.

I'd like to hear you expand on what was meant by "we don't need to make more churches like the ones which are declining."

In the sense that, we do not need to make more churches that are inward looking and that have no sense of outreach, invitation or hospitality, I absolutely agree. But in the midst of the current unpleasantness, I am concerned it may mean we do not need to make more churches that disagree with a particular set of nostra.

I have certainly heard some conservatives and "conservatives" argue that their sorts of churches are growing while more liberal churches are declining. My own observation is that I have seen both liberal and conservative churches thrive and I have seen both decline. The issue, in that regard at least, has less to do with a particular set of ecclesio-political views and far more to do with the inward or outward focus of the priest and people.

joseph

malcolm - the quote is from Lings' analysis of immigration patterns of Anglicans after WWII - we in Canada reaped the benefit of having growth and building churches without having to expend too much energy to reach the unchurched. Our churches grew because of the influx of British Anglicans to Canada. The model Lings was talking about is exactly that one you refer to: inward looking vs outward looking; content to hope that people will simply show up vs actively engaging in mission in their neighbourhoods.

It is more about the attitude and culture of the parish: do we want to engage in mission beyond our walls?

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blank stare...



  • Copyright Rev. Joseph Walker, St Timothy's Anglican Church

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