Mission Area Gathering Mission MarketPlace Jan Dec 2012
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Engaging Gods Mission
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Whats mission anyway? In my life In the life of our Church In
the life of our faith communities In the life of our neighborhoods
In the life of the world
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Whats the mission of the Church? To restore all people to unity
with God and each other in Christ. (BCP, 855)
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Yeah, but whats mission? If everything is mission, nothing is
mission. Bishop Stephen Neill
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Five Marks of Mission Tell: Proclaim the Kingdoms Good News
Teach: Baptize and nurture new believers Tend: Respond to human
need by loving service Transform: Change societys unjust structures
Treasure: Safeguard the integrity of creation The Anglican
Communion (1984-1990)
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But it still doesnt tell us what mission is Our understanding
of mission has developed, from God Acting (actio dei) to God
Sending (missio dei) to WHO GOD IS
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In other words: mission is the creating, reconciling,
transforming action of God flowing from the community of love found
in the Trinity, made known to humanity through Jesus, and entrusted
to the faithful action and witness of the people of God, who
through the Spirit, are a sign, foretaste and instrument of the
reign of God. National Council of Churches in Australia
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Mission is Gods desire (agency, impulse, force) to be known and
make a difference in the world.
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What do we do? MT 22:36-40 (Great Commandment) Who does it? MT
28:16-20 (Great Commissioning) How do we do it? Jer 29: 7
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Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you and pray to
the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your
welfare. Jer 29:7
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Episcopal Church can no longer claim privileged place in todays
diverse, increasingly post- Christian U.S. 2010: 0.2% U.S.
population in Episcopal Church on Sunday (657,000) Average Sunday
attendance loss for TEC from 2000-2010, 23% (MN, 22%)
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These statistics reveal something very important about the
challenges we face as a Church One of those is that we cannot allow
statistics like this to make us anxious about our survival. Earthly
survival is not much a value of the Gospel. Striving for the
kingdom and righteous of God is Concentrating on the latter is
likely to yield more abundant life than the former (Mt. 6:31-33).
Bishop Stacy Sauls, Chief Operating Officer
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Right now, I think the cross calls us to die to those trappings
of our old establishment life, and that means turning our attention
single mindedly to Gods mission and our participation in it, which
means that we are going to have to restructure and reform ourselves
accordingly. Churches that turn inward will die. Churches that turn
outward will not only live, but thrive. The numbers call us to
strengthen our commitment to turn outward. Bishop Stacy Sauls
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Rethink theological basis for mission: from doing mission for
God to participating in Gods ongoing mission Gods ecstatic communal
life Gods reign of mercy and justice The worlds hospitality (Lk 10)
Cultivate theological imagination
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worlds needs our gifts
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A Prayer for Mission O gracious and loving God, you work
everywhere reconciling, loving, and healing your people and your
creation. In your Son and through the power of your Holy Spirit,
you invite each of us to join you in your work. We, young and old,
lay and ordained, ask you to form us more and more in your image
and likeness, through our prayer and worship of you and through the
study of your scripture, that our eyes will be fully opened to your
mission in the world. Then, God, into our communities, our nation,
and the world, send us to serve with Christ, taking risks to give
life and hope to all people and all of your creation. We ask this
in Jesus name. Amen.
