The Summons ... in music?

Last night I attended Burwood UC evening congregation.

It was a really good service with a focus on following Jesus and taking up that invitation to "follow me".

The last song was "The Summons" and the lyrics and tune both touched me in some way (very rare for both to do this at the same time for me).

The Lyrics are:

Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?

Will you love the "you" you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I'll go where Your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

After reflecting on these lyrics, I have found deep meaning in the lyrics.

To me these lyrics are about the heart of the service we must provide in our Christian lives. As Christians we're called to live a life of worship, witness, and service. To me, Service is integral. By serving other as Christ did we are witnessing. By witnessing and serving we are performing an act of worship.

To me personally, this song is asking questions of me. I see it as sort of "testing" my call so to speak. I see the first four (4) as personal questions from God to me and the last verse as what my response is: "Lord you summons echoes true when you but call my name .... In your company i'll go where your love and footsteps show."

I will be writing some more reflections on songs that have spoken to me.

A new Synod?

I am currently sitting in a very relaxed styled Gloria Jeans on Pitt Street with Akon Hip Hop music playing in the back ground. While I would have absolutely no objection to being in Sydney just for the sake of it, I am (believe it or not) here for a reason.

Today there is a think tank meeting for all those people who are under 40 that have attended a synod meeting in the last 5 or so years. The aim of this meeting is to look at how we can do synod differently to gain an equal balance of business, worship, inspiration, and empowerment.

I shall write more later tonight ... :)

... more ?

We fleshed out some fairly good ideas and got to some good conclusions. I believe it was well thought out and planned.

Just a few changes we're going to make that i'll share about:

• Celebration of Ministry - will hopefully be on the friday night before Synod starts in the form of a ticketed feast with the jubilarians, retired ministers, and newly ordained be the guests of honours and share some stories from their ministry.
• Reporting - Will have restrictions to content (i.e: no reading report straight out), a certain % will have to be visual, interactive with members of synod, and will want the synod to acknowledge, reflect on ...etc on an issue or two.

Another part that some time was spent on - was how we worship at synod. And it was decided that a worship team be involved in that.

In love with the church?

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day. We were talking about politics as usual, but soon the conversation took a turn to religion and my being in the Uniting Church (as it normally does). He said that being more involved in the church had taken over my passion for politics and that the James he originally knew was out there doorknocking every day to get rid of a certain PM ;)

He more or less reckons the church has made me 'soft' so to speak. However, the most interesting (and valuable) comment he said was "...if you weren't so in love with the Uniting Church...."

My friends comment (that would be viewed as highly cynical by most) got me thinking. Am I in-love with the Uniting Church?

I decided to look first at what has kept me in the UCA and in the community of faith I have chosen to be apart of.

• I have a deep sense of belonging to the community of faith and in particular to Armidale UC.
• Even though the church can frustrate sometimes with its bureaucratic-like rules and procedures - I hold in because I believe that I can offer something to the Church of today to progress the vision for the church of tomorrow.
• Every now and then, there are things within the church that empower me. Things such as NCYC, SOD, 40 Hour Famine, Assembly, and KYCK has really energised me.
• I have that "feeling" that I just need to be in the church because of my sense of belonging and a "necessity" of my life to be in the church.

So, I have this sense of belonging and empowerment.

But why the Uniting Church....?

I have been involved in every Synod meeting since 2003 (I attended 2003 as a KinS person, afterwhich I have attended as a member). These Synod meetings (though at times really dry and boring) have allowed me be a part of the processes of the church. No other church would allow someone as young to do this.

The Uniting Church is, I think, the only church that places a freedom and emphasis on differing theology. The UCA actually promotes this difference. Radical Discipleship is fostered and those who partake in this are empowered with training such as School of Discipleship.

An indication that I may be in love with the UCA would be that I cannot really stand to hear a bad word about it from those who have never been involved in it. I know a few people who call the UC a "bunch of heretics" because of our views on woman clergy, homosexuality (although there is no official view), property etc.

But I think I can place the first time I knew I loved the UCA was when I first read the Basis of Union. I was 16 and was a month away from attending the 11th Assembly so I thought I had better read this document a lot of the "oldies" were going on about. After reading the document, I knew for sure that I would never leave the Uniting Church. The content of the BoU just filled me with a sense of pride.

What is my underlying sense of call?

Through out my journey I have considered many vocations and types of ministry. However, I am always drawn back and feel a pull towards specified ordained ministry. I feel I have gifts and graces that would make me a suitable candidate for this ministry.

I have a deep passion for the community and for those who are disadvantaged and are on the fringes of society. I feel a need to minister to people beyond the gathered congregation. I believe everyone needs to hear the gospel, but not everyone hears it in the same way (eg: the parable of the grains). Different people respond to the gospel in different ways. I believe it is about spiritually nourishing people in ways that make them feel moved and empowered (and indeed nourished). Some find this nourishment and encouragement within the walls of a church on a Sunday, through a sermon, hymns, bible readings, and conventional stylised prayers (not that all services are like that at all). Some find encouragement and nourishment through alternative forms of worship and deep reflection. However a lot of the population find that these "traditional" and "other" forms of church either a waste of time, scary, confronting, and irrelevant.

I believe that there are ways to minister to these people in ways that move them and change them. While visiting The Wayside Chapel I saw a perfect example of this. The Wayside offer a range of programs that physically show the love of Jesus to those how are in the minority of society.

I also have a passion for liturgy and worshipping within the gathered congregation as well. Every time I've led worship I have enjoyed it and grown somewhat from it. I enjoy "experimenting" with different forms of liturgy and exploring ways that we worship. A couple of weeks ago, Celie and I led a Sundays@7 night and did worship in the form of Drama. The prayers, bible reading, and message were presented in an engaging and theatrical way.

When I look at and write down my sense of call in this was it somewhat frustrates me that the Uniting Church has two (2) ordinations. However, from what I have discerned so far I think that I feel more of a push and calling towards the Ministry of Deacon.

Alternate Lord's Prayer

Parent God with likeness of both Mother and Father

May you and your name be respected and honoured by all.

Allow us to assist in bringing your kingdom,

love, and grace to everyone in the world.

Provide for us what we need,

and help us to use our resources wisely and graciously.

Forgive us when our hearts are closed to you,

and give us the courage to forgive others.

Save us from the things that challenge us and set us off the path,

and lead us into a life worthy of living for you.

For you are almighty, great, awesome, peaceful,

gracious, generous, courageous, and inclusive,

AND may your love endure forever!

AMEN