“Even as our attention is captured by the present, we know how to take a longer view.” – the Institute for the Future
Red or blue state, winner
or loser, many woke up last week wondering what the outcome of the presidential
election means for them, their community and for America as a nation. Analysts and
commentators didn’t miss a beat in the wee hours of Wednesday morning as they began
to offer their ideas and translations of the events that transpired less than
twenty-four hours before. I, too, woke up curious about the future. I found
myself listening to God and praying throughout the day.
Though there is still
much to process, what I am clear about is that despite the chaotic reaction to
the election, God’s kingdom is not of this world (see John 18:36). The work of the gospel was not changed on
Election Day, nor will it change in the coming weeks or months. Despite the
turmoil, the Episcopal Church will remain a Christian community committed to
spreading the gospel of Good News to all people.
We will continue to
proclaim that God has a mission of reconciliation with the world. This mission of
reconciliation is a gift to all people, and the Episcopal Church is part of
that mission. This is our work and it remains unchanged. We believe that God’s
mission is undertaken in collaboration with service and evangelism.
We believe a church reconciling
the world with the Gospel is made of both large and small Christian comminutes that
are supportive and willing to seek out partners and neighbors. This means that
we must begin to build collaborative partnerships to work on sustainability, and
we must seek to improve the intrinsic value of the lives of those who dwell in
our cities and in our country. People’s lives must be better tomorrow because
we are here serving as the Episcopal Church today. This grace-filled service is
meant for all people, without regard to societal designations of who is “in”
and who is “out”. Jesus pushed the boundaries by eating and drinking with
people that religion and society thought were unacceptable; the church must learn
to do the same.
We also believe that an ever
expanding and growing web of Christian communities of every size is essential
to the work of reconciliation and service. To be a part of what God is doing, we
must grow our communities within the contexts that surround us. We must seek to
sow, plant, reap and harvest communities of every kind so that there are new and
multiplying opportunities in which people may come together to share and
participate in the love of God. In a world where people are only recognized and
accepted for what they can contribute, our Episcopal communities must be places
where all people are welcome and recognized as made in the image of God.
All of this will be supported
by our commitment to the work of God; the physical giving of ourselves over to
God’s mission in body, mind and soul. There are not half measures and there is no
passive citizenship among the baptized. We look for ways we can use our God-given
gifts for the work of ministry. We pray and discern how best to give our time
and energy to the work that is before us. We support the work by making
financial commitments based on the blessings that we have received.
We must continuously
remind ourselves that God’s kingdom, God’s reign and God’s power are not of
this world. Where the voices of the establishment tell you that you must earn
God’s love and God’s generosity, the Christian community proclaims a Gospel
that says categorically, “NO.” God’s grace is free and cannot be purchased by the
individual’s goodness, devotion, loyalty or hard work. Grace is always freely given
as a gift.
In every season, the
church’s mission continues as it has from the time that God’s winds moved over
the waters of creation. From the beginning of time, God’s people have been
called to work on behalf of a God who led the people out of Egypt. God is a god
of our forefathers, who brings release to the captives, who journeys with
people in their wilderness leading them to green pastures. This mission will
always be supported by those who believe that God came into the world in order
that the world might be saved. “For God did not send his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). God invites us to love each other as family and to
serve hand-in-hand, giving of ourselves and in response to God’s love, mercy
and forgiveness.
