Everybody Needs a Place
Galatians 5:1-6
"For freedom Christ has set us free."
One
of our good friends when we lived in Durban many years ago was a Lutheran
priest from Norway who was a missionary in the Indian community. Eventually he built a very large, very modern
church building for his congregation in Chatsworth. One day, as the building began to take shape,
our friend saw some people looking quizzically at it, so he asked them what
they thought it was. To his surprise,
they all agreed that it was a new security prison! He was bemused. But how often people think of the church as
if it were prison, whereas Jesus intends the church to be a place of freedom
and joy.
There
has long been a tension, and sometimes a conflict, between legalistic Christianity,
with its emphasis on fault-finding and the excommunication of sinners, and
inclusive Christianity with its emphasis on forgiveness, on allowing God to be
the judge, a form of Christianity that lives by grace not law, that cherishes
freedom. the creativity of the Spirit, and a concern for human well-being. This tension was well-expressed by St. Paul
in his letter to the Galatians where he contrasts the bondage of the law with
the freedom of the Spirit. "For
freedom Christ has set us free," he exclaims. Of course, he also says that we should not
misuse our freedom in irresponsible living.
It is being free to love, embrace and serve other. It is the freedom of the Spirit whose fruit is
"love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness
and self control." (5:22) These are
the marks of the true church, of those who live by the Spirit in the freedom
for which Christ has set us free.
I
rejoice when I come across churches, of whatever denomination, who express
their Christian faith in an open, inclusive, generous and Spirit-led way; churches
that are providing a home and a hospitality for the many people who are seeking
express their faith and spirituality in a way that has integrity and is
relevant both to their own lives and to that of society. People seeking grace and forgiveness, not
judgment and rejection. Everybody needs such
a place; a community of faith that provides them with support, and direction, and
the freedom where they can grow and mature in their discipleship and spiritual
journey. There are many churches like
that, but sometimes they are a little hard to find, and it is regarded as a
prison not a place of freedom, a place of law not of grace.
During
our recent visit to Jersey Island we visited Trinity Parish church where my
grandfather was baptized, and his father before him, and his ancestors going
back to the 13th century! In the
churchyard are dozens of tombstones bearing the name de Gruchy, many of them
Jean or John de Gruchy. I am related to
them all! The original Jean who came
from Normandy was of Norse or Viking stock, as is our surname. The story goes that his father, Hugh, was a
nobleman but when the Frankish kings invaded Normandy Jean fled to Jersey which
is only seven miles from the coast of
France. And my family is
descended from him. So I was delighted
when visiting Trinity Church to discover an excellent statement on the notice
board as you enter on what it means to be the church today as a place which
everybody needs.
Everybody Needs a Place
We hope you find yours here.
Here is a place that is ancient and new, a faith that we hold going back
to Jesus, back to his spiritual ancestors, back to those who walked the earth
and found holy ground. And what we do is often based on really ancient
patterns—worship and music; loving service to the poor, the hurting, the
lonely; working for justice and peace; lively, fearless education and formation
of minds and souls. And that faith is also completely contemporary, engaged in
the culture and the needs of the moment.
What we are for
The dignity and worth of every person. An
open minded, passionate commitment to truth. The importance of everyone’s own
spiritual journey. God’s friends wherever we find them. Seeking Christ in every
person who comes through the door. The sacredness of life’s rites of passage.
The value of community. The hard work necessary to make sure that all are
welcomed. Telling the truth about life’s challenges. A “user-friendly” church
experience. Children, youth and families. We believe that God is love, and we
pray that God will use us to spread that love.
What we are against
Claiming to have all the
answers. Elitism and exclusivism, especially in church. Bigotry for any reason.
Authoritarianism. Indifference to injustice and suffering. Certitude in the
face of ambiguity and superficial answers to hard question. Boring sermons, bad
music and general cluelessness. (So, God help us, because we don’t always avoid
these!)
What we value
Community, open hearts, open minds, open
arms. Faith. Fortitude. Staying current, but equally staying rooted in
tradition. Reason and honesty. Civic responsibility. Debate that allows for
mutual respect. Music and beauty for their own sake. Joy in God’s creation.
Anyone who makes an effort to get to know and follow Jesus.
Welcome!
At
a time, by no means the first in history, when many people reject the church,
though they may still respect Jesus, it is good to reaffirm what we really
stand for as his disciples who have been set free from the bondage of legalism
in order to live by the Spirit.
John de Gruchy
Volmoed 31 July 2014
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