The Church is an institution. It is also a community gathered together to discover—over and over, again and again— Divinity/God in their midst. The Episcopal Church functions mostly within a hierarchy, not of values, but of roles with an underlying and powerful assumption that these roles are essentially ordained from above. It is a top-down model.
Does it function well? Sometimes, yet never, in my experience, without occasional eruptions, thanks to differences that smolder within and do not get aired. The church body pulls itself into order through rituals: Word (what the Bible says in both testaments) and Sacramental rituals, chiefly Baptism with water, and Eucharist, a communion meal. We cleanse each member, as we would a newborn, and then we feed nourish/feed, just as we would with a newborn. We make sure it continues to thrive. Clergy, educated and ordained, serve as professional guides, along with traditions written in books, serving to maintain this upbringing process.
Along the way there is need for much pastoral care, the fuel that keeps the Church alive. It comes from deep within the hearts of members of this community we call Church. Christians call it Love or Grace—a gift from God. Analogically, grace is like the wind that blows against sails so the boat will move along. It is our job to manage the sails. When sails are pulled too taut the boat capsizes. If sails flap loosely about, it goes nowhere. Likewise, the Church does not function without givers and receivers, alive in the process, giving and receiving the gracious wind at once.
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I am writing about the general lethargy in so many parishes right now. Are we boring? Bored? Is God a bore? Is Jesus the Christ no longer attractive, or it is our own lethargy that seems to be re-crucifying our one-time hero—over and over?
I think the community we call church needs more verve—a shot of adrenal energy, perhaps a spiritual epipen. I know there are exceptions, often through music and relevant preaching that is not simply warm, fuzzy and lulling.
I am also increasingly aware also that our Creator is much greater, vaster, larger than any one religion, or culture, or parish church for that matter. I stay Christian, because I'm in love with the gospel of Compassion towards all, preached and lived by Jesus, and expanded by the Spirit and its versatility—expansive enough to search everything, EVEN the depths of God! (I Cor. 2:10) Simultaneously, I’m aware that God's "will" waits upon OUR willingness. Have I lost faith enough to blame God for my own lethargy?
In short, I am simply aware more than ever of human frailty AND the need for more collective shared zeal and effort towards this fragile earth our island home. So far all we do is make more WARS!!!
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Am I being judgmental? Am I practicing a holier-than-thou spirituality? I think of Jesus asleep on the boat on the sea of Galilee as a storm whipped up and the disciples were scared. Of course they were. I have been in a boat on that sea of Galilee, and believe me, it can get wind-whipped and very rough, though it did not on that sunny day under the safe direction and timing of our pilgrimage guides.
But let’s ingest this story with some emotional intelligence. One thing these disciples likely felt was terror. Were they also angry? Why isn’t this Messiah saving us? Isn’t that his messianic role? We can’t do this alone!
I wonder if this stormy self-awareness was the point at which these disciples themselves woke up? Had they given up their God-given freedom to make good judgments, to make wise decisions for themselves, to manage the ship they knew well? Had they suddenly become judgmental, childishly dependent on Jesus, instead of picking up the ropes and saving the blooming ship? They were fishermen. They knew how to save this ship!
Likewise the churches—all brands and practices, all religions, all spiritualities.
