Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Dying

The church is not dying;
    it cannot ultimately die, as it is
        a bride of the resurrected Christ.

What is dying are our own
    particular ways of doing church;
        those gentle comforters that,
            in the beginning helped us know
                and rest in God’s love and mercy

but now seem to be
    sucked into the intake,
        keeping fresh air from flowing.

THOSE things are dying because
    they are more ours than God's;
        and anything that's ours
            was dying from the day it was born,
                just like we have been.

THOSE are methods.
    What is not dying,
        and will never die,
            is the message.



THIS is what belongs to God;
    what has been freely offered
        to all of creation since
            we were spoken into existence
                out of the swirling waters of chaos;

what has been expanding
    in our hearts and minds
        from the day of our birth.

THIS is what dares us
    to enlarge ourselves to contain it –
        even to allow it to contain us.

It is GRACE; always bigger
    than dreams or comprehension;
        holding room for us, yet  
            forever inviting everyone else;

a feat attainable only by one
    who uses the lazy eight of infinity
        as a front door welcome mat.


    © 2015 Todd Jenkins

4 comments:

  1. That photo looks suspiciously like Piney Creek Falls at Fall Creek Falls State Park...

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    1. It's actually Linville Falls, NC, along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

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  2. Needed to hear this again after the news of the sale of UCC Church House, and financial struggles of NY Conference

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    Replies
    1. Andrea, I think a lot of us are in similar boats. Not many folks are interested in the difficult work and challenging conversations it's going to take to shift us to a more viable place. We're probably going to have to shrink a little more before the remaining folks are ready to hear what/where the Holy Spirit is calling us to do, go, and be.

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