November
2004
Change or be changed?
Is that the question facing the Uniting Church?
“Is it necessary for the church [in its current
form] to die so Christianity will not?” asked some participants
in one of the Moderator’s Vision Development workshops.
The follow-on comment was even more challenging:
“It would lead to different ways of sharing our faith and it
may be a more authentic faith ... The church needs to be more relevant
to the community but remain authentic to God!”
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For so many of us in the Uniting Church, this
could mean leaving behind traditional church buildings in which
we have invested countless years of devoted time in fundraising,
building, maintenance, enjoying activities with church friends —
even worshipping, baptising, marrying and farewelling loved ones.
The thought of changing from this very happy volume of very special
memories is daunting.
Change is happening all around us.
Computers, information technology and telecommunications
have changed the ways we relate to each other, conduct business,
run our community services and educate all ages. What are we doing
in our congregation to take advantage of these amazing developments?
In the Vision Development workshops I have heard how some congregations
are negotiating the infant virtual church. As rural communities
shrink and paid-for church leadership becomes less affordable, they
are considering the possibility of using computers and television
networks to run a church service right across Australia. Prayers
could be led from Broken Hill, the Bible readings from Bonalbo,
the children’s message from a Lakeview small group, the message
from a leader in Weston Creek, dance from Abbotsbury, music led
by Pittwater and the communion led from Sugarloaf — all in
one simultaneous broadcast.
Our local pastoral care and activities could be
led on the ground by ordained and well-trained lay leadership. People
would be participants, not audiences on the receiving end only.
One workshop participant prophesied that we want
a Uniting Australia, not just a Uniting Church. Our church could
lead the way, particularly from the experiences of our rural congregations.
For them, farm consolidation and the removal of many essential services
have forced unexpected and undesired changes. There has been a large
exodus of young people and families. Consequently, our country members
are leading the way in regrouping in order to cope with change.
Employment work patterns have dramatically changed
family and individual priorities away from the churches. Traditional
times for worship, church activities and even locally-based, church-run
community services have become impractical and inconvenient. Even
Sunday sport has affected us.
The Vision Development workshops also questioned
how our membership requirements denied decision-making roles to
those who often gave significant amounts of money, leadership and
time.
The workshops thought it was not yet a disaster,
but our failure to change the way we relate to communities and network
within them, as well as the churches’ tarnished institutional
credibility, have contributed to the church being sidelined in many
places.
Clearly, we need to change how we relate in the
community and re-establish meaningful connectionAugust 19, 2008ng in the mall, at sporting
activities, in the workforce, in homes, wherever communities group,
we will be that strange mob in outdated buildings, doing funny things.
We must demystify the institutional church and move on from the
Christendom model if we are to have meaning in and for a changing
world.
I am struck by the image left when an acquaintance
told me of her granddaughter’s question: “Gran, what was
it like in the world of black and white?” At first my friend
did not understand the question until she realised that her granddaughter
was referring to television!
Are we that out of touch?
I welcome your response to this article as part of the ongoing involvement of all members of the New South Wales Synod in the development of a new vision for our future. Just visit http://nswforum.unitingchurch.org.au or write to Moderator’s Forum, Box A2178, Sydney South 1235.