"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”- St. Paul describing the Church in 1 Corinthians 12:12.
Recently in Morning Prayer we have had readings from the 12th chapter of St Paul’s 1st Letter to the Corinthians.
Whilst reading this section in preparation for morning prayer, I have been reflecting on the nature of Church. As Church in this time has had one part removed, albeit temporally. That part is our gathering in our Church Building for worship. Because as of today it is not permitted even for clergy to record services in the Church Building. As a side note, I must point out that the services we are posting from today until Good Friday, were recorded in the Church before the restriction came into force.
We are all in some sort of lockdown. The body is having to adapt to a change that has been imposed.
Yet we are still the Church. Yes, Holy Week is going to be different, just as life itself is different at this time. Therefore our expression of Church is different. Yet we are one Body.
It is important to acknowledge our grief because of these changes and even to lament.
But as the Church, the Body of Christ, we need to remember our faith in Jesus Christ.
When I took up each appointment in England there was a legal process that involved “The Declaration of Assent”. The preface included these words: “It [The Church] professes the faith uniquely revealed in the Holy Scriptures and set forth in the catholic creeds, which faith the Church is called upon to proclaim afresh in each generation.”
This pandemic is causing us to proclaim afresh our faith in ways that we have never imagined. I never considered that I would be praying Morning prayer from my home via Facebook live so that we can worship together. This will be starting next Monday. We are having to change.
There is the old joke about how many Episcopalians does it take to change a light bulb? Change! We don’t change, is the response.
There is some truth in that. Our underlying story, our faith, that we share, is about Jesus Christ. That does not change.
But we are changing as we learn how to proclaim the story afresh.
We are learning how to be the Church afresh.
I am thankful for you all as you minister to one another in ways, some that are afresh. We continue to show to one another that we are one body. As a Church, we are responding to Jesus’ command to love one another.
God bless
Tom +
PS If you have some time today, do read and pray through St Paul in Chapter 13 of his 1st Letter to the Corinthians which reminds us what that love is.
- Holy Week Schedule at www.csmsg.org:
- Palm Sunday April 5, 10 AM
- Morning Prayer, Monday Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8am
- Maundy Thursday 7 PM
- Good Friday 12 Noon
- The Great Vigil at home with Sermon posted at 7 PM
- Easter Sunday 10 AM
- Be on the look out for a phone call from Church Receptionist Becky Arthur or other staff members, as we update our Realm directory.
