So, church today rocked. Imagine this, we talked about *gasp* racism, classism, prejudice, etc. It was great. We came to talk about it via our current series (don't remind me how megachurchy that is..)on Headline news. Our pastor started off with the struggle in the Gaza Strip, with the evacuation of Israelites and the resulting Israelite/Palestinian violence against one another.
He didn't get into who is wrong or right. He did not wave the, "America, protector of the Israelites, God's chosen people" flag. Rather, Tim (the pastor) discussed how Jesus tore down those walls of separation and division. He incorporated Jesus's interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well, as well as his choice to make a Samaritan the protagonist of his later parable, aptly titled, "The Good Samaritan." Although it is not yet posted, in a few days or weeks, you will be able to find the entire message here under Aug. 21/22. It will be up sometime this week. Don't worry, I won't let you forget it in a few weeks, I'll post another entry when it is up.
In other news, and purely by chance (or God, or something), our church made the front page of the Chicago Trib today. Although the story is cast in a controversial way, in order to sell papers,that's not the real story. Our church is starting a campus in Pilsen, not to "save" all the Catholics like the article implies, but as a natural outpouring of our church's mission to serve the poor and to break down the walls that divide us all.
Part of our church's mission is:
Reconcile with people of different cultural and economic backgrounds. CCC has a church presence in culturally and economically diverse communities so that all people can reconcile with God and with each other.
Redistribute their financial and material resources to assist under-resourced communities. CCC attendees contribute to and support organizations, schools, businesses, and other churches as we help meet the felt needs (physical, spiritual, educational, economic, and social) in struggling communities.
Relocate to under-resourced communities. CCC attendees live, work, and serve with indigenous leaders from struggling communities.
Also, the Sunday that made me post about our church few weeks ago has the sermon now available.
I don't write this to brag about "my" church. I just feel such a thankfulness to God that he has given me the awesome privilege to feel accepted and in tune with a church family, for the first time ever in my 25 years. This congregation has been so therapeutic for me, undoing years of negative and abusive doctrine and church experience. But I am also sad, because I know this place is not where God has called me forever, and I want to stay because it just feels so darn uplifting to be where people are willing to answer God's call and do His work.
It's amazing that God brought me to a conservative, private, evangelical, Christian college in the white suburbs of Chicago to teach me about poverty. We attend church in the #3 "best place to live" in the nation (for rich people, that is) for Godto take me out of my comfort zone and make me meet everyone He loves, head on in such a place. That, to me, is a miracle.
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2 comments:
Interesting article. I think that if I were an outsider, I'd be a little skeptical, too. But I trust your perspective on the church. For all my concerns about megachurches, it sounds like they're doing a lot of things right.
It's hard to know widespread the Catholic concerns are and how much is just part of the perspective the writer decided to give. But it seems like it might not be a bad idea for the church to make some sort of good faith gesture to the existing Catholic churches. I don't know what that might be, but maybe coming alongside them in an existing ministry or asking them to be part of a new program that is community focused would help ease some of the anxiety. Perhaps there are already plans for that. Maybe they've tried and been rebuffed. Or maybe now's not the time. It's hard to say from just one article.
Regardless, I've enjoyed reading about your journey and how much growth and healing you've found in this church.
Tee hee, I don't like megachurches either. I actually wrote my ugrad thesis "Would you like your Jesus Upsized? The McDonaldization of the Megachurch." I appreciate how you trust my appraisal, though.
A good faith gesture might be a wise decision. I do have to say that there are a lot of former Catholics in our church. But, we also live in a VERY Catholic area. Meaning if you started a church to reach the unchurch in say, TN, you'd get a lot of former Baptists.
Thanks for your thoughts, Zalm.
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