Being Church

Or How to Live Authentically ....

My local church (C of E) has been around a lot of years and has seen a lot of changes but I think now it's facing it's toughest test. We have been without a full time, paid priest for far too long. I live in an Urban Priority Area in the inner city. Most of the people who attend our church live in the locality, many are unemployed or in low paid jobs. We have ages across the spectrum - the youngest is 14months old and the eldest are 80+. We are a small congregation with the potential to be much bigger.

The people in this area need someone with a uniform - a dog-collar - an identifier that says "I come with the authority of the church". Our temporary Priest leaves at the end of September - he came to help us out for a year, two years ago. He will be missed.

The Diocese is trying to come up with a plan to staff our church and the neighbouring one without using too much of their resources, ie without spending money. The area I live in is quite poor and many of the residents feel as though they have been forgotton. Now it would seem that the Church is treating them the same way.

So how do we be church to the people in this area. How do the few of us who have a little time and a little money to spare make a difference to these people. How do we live the gospel and bring the 'good news' to those whose souls are crying out for living water.

I don't have the answers. All we can do is learn a new way of being church that doesn't rely on the structures of the established church but that maintains an honesty and an integrity that will appeal to people and bring them home.