Monday
Feb132012
Conversations
Jessica Bratt | Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:26PM I spent the last three days with more than 500 others from across the Reformed Church in America at “Conversations," a gathering focused on discernment. I was reminded yet again of how valuable it is for people to gather for non-governance-related meetings. I thought I’d share some observations, and of course I only intend to speak for myself. Fellow “The 12” writers Tom Goodhart and Jes Kast-Keat were also there and will be sharing their perspectives as well. Maybe we can generate more conversation about Conversations.
The summary gives a pretty succinct picture of what emerged from the conversations that were had in groups of about 20. I served as a facilitator for one such group and it was remarkable how much of the content of our discussions was echoed in the overall summary of all 25 groups’ work.
Throughout the weekend, both in plenary, small group, and informal settings, I experienced a spirit of openness. Somehow the conditions were right and people were able to take an honest look at where we are as a denomination, and to have a space to express both our laments and our yearnings. I experienced people really listening to each other. Instead of getting mired in conflict, the gathered body was able to name our differences, even our very contentious ones, and still to find delight in coming together.
I heard the theme of unity in diversity, unity-not-uniformity, come up repeatedly. I sense that many in the RCA are keenly aware that our smaller size might present an opportunity to find a way to stay together instead of fracture in ways that many of our sister denominations have done. I myself was mindful that we were in Orlando, the same city where just a few weeks ago there was a meeting of a few hundred Presbyterians who are moving to create a new body within the Presbyterian family, yet another body born out of conflict. Of course, many in the RCA share the pain and frustration and convictions, on all sides, that have led to turning points and decisions and divisions in many of our sister denominations. I suppose there are some that assume we’re headed for the same thing. I don’t think we’re patting ourselves on the back for figuring it out and escaping the fate of those around us. Certainly, tensions will continue in the RCA, and fractures may still lie ahead. That being said, I think there is an awareness that we are in a position to seek a different route. For the time being, I heard a really deep longing to focus on our shared convictions, to root ourselves in our identity as followers of Jesus, to unite around our sense of belonging to a God who is urgently calling us to serve a world so in need of love and grace and forgiveness and justice and healing and wholeness.
I heard yearnings for radical gospel living. I heard people’s longings to carry out the witness of the RCA not for the sake of self-preservation but for the sake of others. I heard people inspired and convicted by the rapid growth and witness of the church in the global south and what those populations may have to teach the church in the West.
I heard a yearning for congregations to be renewed and revitalized in ways that reflect the needs of their own context. I heard people lament that areas of denominational goals--such as church planting--have left them feeling invalidated and overlooked. I also heard some of those same people admit that those goals have been an impetus for self-examination and wrestling with what it would take to change.
I saw, heard, and felt that as a denomination we are slowly but surely moving along in a genuine yearning to look and act more fully like the “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” described in Revelation 7:9. I believe we are being more honest about what will be required of us if we really are to become a multiracial church seeking to dismantle structural racism.
I heard a longing to lift up pieces of the Reformed witness that remain valuable in our contemporary context, such as undertaking global and local mission in partnership, and having a polity that, used effectively, can foster a high degree of local autonomy and accountability. I heard an appreciation for our ecumenical relationships and the power they have to keep us connected and grounded in the global church.
I heard renewed desire to promote deep discipleship, to nourish people of all ages and positions in their journey with Christ and the church. I heard a longing to keep ‘loving God with our minds’ as has often been the Reformed tradition’s forte, and also to give more attention to what it will look like to love God and our neighbors with our hearts, souls, and strength as well as our intellect. I was glad to hear this discussion repeatedly tied to the topic of leadership, recognizing that effective and sustainable leadership needs to be rooted in discipleship.
I wonder if I sound more optimistic and positive than some of my peers would be if they were writing here. Maybe it’s a combination of being exposed to so much need and suffering in my daily work as a pediatric chaplain, on the one hand, and being so exasperated with how religion/faith/the church gets portrayed in media and sound bites and political discourse on the other hand. Despite the flaws of “organized religion” and the growing pains, or perhaps aging pains, of the RCA as a denomination, I am hopeful that God IS still speaking to and through us and giving us endless opportunities to be salt and light in our communities and world. For some reason I simply want to choose hope instead of cynicism.
I suspect it might have a little to do with the 16 year old girl from the Southwest who was in the group I facilitated. In a room full of people at least twice (or three or four) times her age, she spoke clearly and passionately about her role in her church, how she’s organized some other high school girls to mentor junior high girls, how a denominational service trip changed her life, and how she hopes that the RCA will address issues like human trafficking. The fact that, as she told me afterwards, the conversations we had throughout the day felt relevant to her as she considered her local church and also the future of the church, reassured me that maybe we’re doing something right. If only we could clone her. I sensed, too, that the older adults in our group, perhaps some of whom wanted to really dig into hot-button issues, were made more mindful of the bigger picture and the bigger issues at stake as they listened with rapt attention to this young woman. While many of us are stuck in debating about future directions, she is living into it. She, and so many others who will go beyond us, are trusting us to be good stewards of both the heritage we’ve cherished and the future that beckons. Not for our own sake, but for the sake of the world in which God is still stirring.
The summary gives a pretty succinct picture of what emerged from the conversations that were had in groups of about 20. I served as a facilitator for one such group and it was remarkable how much of the content of our discussions was echoed in the overall summary of all 25 groups’ work.
Throughout the weekend, both in plenary, small group, and informal settings, I experienced a spirit of openness. Somehow the conditions were right and people were able to take an honest look at where we are as a denomination, and to have a space to express both our laments and our yearnings. I experienced people really listening to each other. Instead of getting mired in conflict, the gathered body was able to name our differences, even our very contentious ones, and still to find delight in coming together.
I heard the theme of unity in diversity, unity-not-uniformity, come up repeatedly. I sense that many in the RCA are keenly aware that our smaller size might present an opportunity to find a way to stay together instead of fracture in ways that many of our sister denominations have done. I myself was mindful that we were in Orlando, the same city where just a few weeks ago there was a meeting of a few hundred Presbyterians who are moving to create a new body within the Presbyterian family, yet another body born out of conflict. Of course, many in the RCA share the pain and frustration and convictions, on all sides, that have led to turning points and decisions and divisions in many of our sister denominations. I suppose there are some that assume we’re headed for the same thing. I don’t think we’re patting ourselves on the back for figuring it out and escaping the fate of those around us. Certainly, tensions will continue in the RCA, and fractures may still lie ahead. That being said, I think there is an awareness that we are in a position to seek a different route. For the time being, I heard a really deep longing to focus on our shared convictions, to root ourselves in our identity as followers of Jesus, to unite around our sense of belonging to a God who is urgently calling us to serve a world so in need of love and grace and forgiveness and justice and healing and wholeness.
I heard yearnings for radical gospel living. I heard people’s longings to carry out the witness of the RCA not for the sake of self-preservation but for the sake of others. I heard people inspired and convicted by the rapid growth and witness of the church in the global south and what those populations may have to teach the church in the West.
I heard a yearning for congregations to be renewed and revitalized in ways that reflect the needs of their own context. I heard people lament that areas of denominational goals--such as church planting--have left them feeling invalidated and overlooked. I also heard some of those same people admit that those goals have been an impetus for self-examination and wrestling with what it would take to change.
I saw, heard, and felt that as a denomination we are slowly but surely moving along in a genuine yearning to look and act more fully like the “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” described in Revelation 7:9. I believe we are being more honest about what will be required of us if we really are to become a multiracial church seeking to dismantle structural racism.
I heard a longing to lift up pieces of the Reformed witness that remain valuable in our contemporary context, such as undertaking global and local mission in partnership, and having a polity that, used effectively, can foster a high degree of local autonomy and accountability. I heard an appreciation for our ecumenical relationships and the power they have to keep us connected and grounded in the global church.
I heard renewed desire to promote deep discipleship, to nourish people of all ages and positions in their journey with Christ and the church. I heard a longing to keep ‘loving God with our minds’ as has often been the Reformed tradition’s forte, and also to give more attention to what it will look like to love God and our neighbors with our hearts, souls, and strength as well as our intellect. I was glad to hear this discussion repeatedly tied to the topic of leadership, recognizing that effective and sustainable leadership needs to be rooted in discipleship.
I wonder if I sound more optimistic and positive than some of my peers would be if they were writing here. Maybe it’s a combination of being exposed to so much need and suffering in my daily work as a pediatric chaplain, on the one hand, and being so exasperated with how religion/faith/the church gets portrayed in media and sound bites and political discourse on the other hand. Despite the flaws of “organized religion” and the growing pains, or perhaps aging pains, of the RCA as a denomination, I am hopeful that God IS still speaking to and through us and giving us endless opportunities to be salt and light in our communities and world. For some reason I simply want to choose hope instead of cynicism.
I suspect it might have a little to do with the 16 year old girl from the Southwest who was in the group I facilitated. In a room full of people at least twice (or three or four) times her age, she spoke clearly and passionately about her role in her church, how she’s organized some other high school girls to mentor junior high girls, how a denominational service trip changed her life, and how she hopes that the RCA will address issues like human trafficking. The fact that, as she told me afterwards, the conversations we had throughout the day felt relevant to her as she considered her local church and also the future of the church, reassured me that maybe we’re doing something right. If only we could clone her. I sensed, too, that the older adults in our group, perhaps some of whom wanted to really dig into hot-button issues, were made more mindful of the bigger picture and the bigger issues at stake as they listened with rapt attention to this young woman. While many of us are stuck in debating about future directions, she is living into it. She, and so many others who will go beyond us, are trusting us to be good stewards of both the heritage we’ve cherished and the future that beckons. Not for our own sake, but for the sake of the world in which God is still stirring.
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