When the final vote was taken on the fourth Ministry Proposal Bishop Hanson asked to address the Assembly. The fourth Proposal passed (68.48% For; 31.52% Against). The Bishop continued in a very pastoral address. It was profound, direct, honest and meant to be a word from the Word for all sides of this issue. Bishop Hanson brought it down to visits that must be made in a congregation.
The First is to a household/family that has suffered a great loss and those in the family are distress with grief and sadness. He said he would read from Romans 8: "What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ, Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who love us. For I am convinced that neither.....nor......will be able to separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
The Bishop then said what if he also had to visit with ones who were now welcome after being left out of the family for so long. He read from Ephesians 2: "...now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is. the hostility between us."
And then the Bishop wondered what to say if together with those who had suffered loss or had dividing walls coming down were others who were worried about what now be in the life among them. He read from Colossians 3: "As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body."
The room was silent and I thought our Presiding Bishop was one of the most pastoral leaders I have ever seen stand before a body divided and yet -- united in Christ. This is not to say all things are well and good. There is still division. There is still the miracle of healing that is always a part of the promise of God's Reign.
To be quite honest, I am still a bit shaken by the whole week and the actions taken. Those of you who know our congregation know that we have been through many of the dynamics of change that come when the doors are held open and we take up the task of walking together faithfully and within the gracious embrace of our God in Christ, Jesus. We are all aliens. We are all adopted sons and daughters. We are all parts of one body. In time, things change. The solid rock never changes and the vision of God's Reign never changes. But as time passes, we are given new glimpses of how that Reign unfolds around us. To live an see in new ways is not at all easy. That's why we pray. That is why we continue to draw near to the Scriptures. That is why we throw water and speak of dying and rising in Christ...again and again. That is why we come to the table to eat and drink the life that is ours in, with, and under all things.
This Tuesday all the rostered leaders will be meeting with the Bishop. I'm sure all synod Bishop's will be drawing rostered leaders in for conversation. We must all pray for the well-being - the wholeness - the peace of the church. That's what is always needed when we are called to walk together faithfully even as we differ.
Christ's Peace! pastoral
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