We’re the church every day, every week as we gather. But there are times in the life of any congregation in which we more intensely have that experience of being the church, together. That happened at Collegiate/Wesley this week.
We gathered on Tuesday evening for a Church Conference to make decisions about some next steps with our properties. Most of us knew going in that we didn’t all agree. We reached a decision—approving the original motion—but only after the discussion process had worked through a couple of proposed amendments, and a range of opinions had been shared.
I say this was the church being the church because it made clear why we’d have a Church Conference in the first place. We don’t all agree, on many of the things that come before us. On big decisions—like these that involve our properties—our rules know we need to invite participation by a range of voices. We make better decisions when there’s room for people to be heard, because our experiences and perspectives and passions are not all the same.
We listen to one another; we know one another better as a result; and ultimately we come to a vote that expresses the will of the body.
Now, in the days and weeks ahead, the next step of being the church will unfold. That happens, mostly, not as we implement the decisions we made this week. It happens most importantly when we come together again, for worship or otherwise, seeking to be at peace with one another. It happens when we don’t turn away from the person whose views differed from ours, but instead we move toward them, expressing peace and recalling that we are part of one body. We are all still in relationship, love is still our purpose and our call.
What a privilege to be part of a body of people that can do this kind of work together. It was always Jesus’ plan. Loving God; loving one another. Being the church together.
We’ll include in NEXT week’s CW Current a summary of the results of the Charge Conference and the Church Conference that happened this week.
