Preach it Brother Boyd ...

ON Wednesday at our Meeting of Assiniboine Presbytery, The Reverend Boyd Drake (minister at Rapid City - Cadurcis Pastoral Charge) offered the following reflection as part of our morning worship service.

Boyd began quietly, almost nervously ... yet his words ended on a crescendo ... He stood before us, we of rural churches in decline, we of communities struggling just to survive ... He stood before us and spoke a truth that we not only long to hear, we long to follow ...

The road ahead for rural Churches is not easy, nor will it be brimming with easy answers. We are facing some huge questions and even larger crises ... The challenge for us is to hear the words of those like Boyd, and boldy and audaciously follow them ...

On Wednesday Boyd Drake, my friend, my collegue, and man I admire greatly spoke a truth. And today I am honoured that he is allowing me to share it all of you ... I invite you to read his words, to reflect on what they mean to you, and to the church, and then to pass them on to others. Like the epistles of Paul, reflections like this gain in importance when they are handed on and live out in community ...

Thank Boyd for letting me do this ...

“A Letter To the Angels”

Meditation preached at Assiniboine Presbytery meeting
April 11, 2007
Strathclair MB

The Reverend Boyd Drake

Text - Revelation 1:4-8

The Book of Revelation begins with John of Patmos writing letters to seven churches of Asia - Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. These churches are representative of all churches and John’s letter speaks to the church at large in that area and that era.

And so I need to speak audaciously, boldly, maybe a little presumptuously perhaps, and write a letter to seven churches in Assiniboine Presbytery. While these churches are representative of all of the churches in this presbytery, they are also particular in that they are all facing ministry vacancies, or who have been living with these vacancies for sometime now.

This letter goes to Deloraine, Hartney/Lauder, Minto, Reston/Pipestone, Shoal Lake/Decker, Oak Lake/Griswold and Rapid City/Cadurcis. It is a letter that goes to all of these churches together even though the letters in Revelation - Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea - are written to each church separately.

And what might be said?

Well, John of Patmos wrote to the Angels at each church, urging them, reminding them of their reason for being, assuring them they are not alone, that they are witnesses to the Risen Christ, that they have a responsibility to the world.

What are they witnesses to? Why do they have a responsibility? These are questions to be considered as this letter goes out to the Angels at Deloraine, Hartney/Lauder, Minto, Reston/Pipestone, Shoal Lake/Decker, Oak Lake and Rapid City/Cadurcis.

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Friends:

I greet you in the name of the Risen Christ. Grace and peace to you. I remind you that the focus on Jesus is what we are all about and we should not forget that. It is easy in this day and age where we are beset on all sides by many distractions: Population decreases as people move out of our towns and off our farms; constant money shortages; buildings are getting older; the lure of the hockey rink, the casino and the shopping mall are better entertainment than church on a Sunday; where we struggle to recruit ministers and leaders; where so many others see us a irrelevant and a little quaint. It is easy to focus on the issues of organizational dysfunction; issues of financial management and stewardship; of losing hope as our kids play hockey and video games; of fighting amongst ourselves; of creating traumatic conflicts between people. It is as though we are the Thomas who needs proof in advance that his involvement and participation will be worth his time energy and money.

It is true there are many issues that need to be dealt with as we contemplate the future. It is true that some churches will close as people have moved away or there are simply not enough people to provide sufficient support. This is a faithful committed thing to do when it is necessary and we should embrace our responsibilities in this situation.

But that does not mean we become non believers, non attenders, non supporters. That does not mean we stop going to church simply because the community church closes. That does not mean we stop being Jesus followers because we might have to drive 20 or 30 kms to church.

Because friends - We believe in God. We believe in the Risen Christ. We believe in love and forgiveness. This is important to us. Too important to give up simply because the church we know is changing before our very eyes. We are called to be the transformed Thomas who falls to his knees in mystery and adoration.

It is because Jesus the Risen One is the beginning and the ending; who has been there for us; who is there for us; and who will always be there for us. Our worship and praise, the life anew we gain and celebrate this is why we must find ways to deal with the struggles before us. Do not give up. Do not try to fit old antiquated ways into new realities.

Let us contemplate churches without buildings; worship with all people as ministers; mission done in spite of/because of our own financial woes. Let us not be a fading flickering diminishing candle, but a shining beacon speaking and witnessing to the world because of the power and presence of the Risen One. AMEN