We made the Huron Church News! This month’s edition includes a reflection about how St. Paul’s and the wider community worked together to support a family at Christmas. It felt like an important story to tell as a reminder that who we are as Church has wider implications. The choices we make, the work we do, the ways we embody the Marks of Mission can impact and inspire the community around us – just as the call for food to support a mom and her kids did here this past Christmas.
(Jesus said:) ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Former Archbishop of Canterbury, William Temple said: that the Church is the only organisation that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members. After Jesus died, the disciples kept gathering in a locked room, hidden from the world for fear of repercussions. They looked after themselves. Then Jesus appeared, resurrected, and told them to go out and make disciples. The Church was never meant to be an organisation that solely looked after the interests and needs of its members. That would be akin to lighting a lamp and putting it under a bushel basket so only those in the near vicinity can see the light. Instead, Jesus said: go, as in get out of the building, and make disciples. He challenged those who would become the Church to let their light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to God!
The Church, by its nature, is supposed to be focused outward. We are supposed to proclaim the Good News as embodied by our actions! Among the ways this happens is in how we fulfill the third Mark of Mission: to respond to human need with loving service. This is the point of that article – our response to human need through loving service has established us as a congregation that cares. As a result, there are members of the wider community who are happy to support what we do in whatever ways make sense for them. By shining our light, they see our good works and learn about God!
So, let’s name some of what we are doing. What are some of the ways we, individually and collectively, we respond to human need with loving service? (Add to Marks of Mission displays)
(Jesus said:) ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
We have been letting that light shine by our works. We know this because we reached more than 1200 people via social media with our post about food for the family at Christmas and people responded with contributions. We know this because we reached more than 11000 people with our post about girls clothing in November and people responded with clothing donations. We know this because we were asked to host a coat exchange in the fall. We know this because people continue to support the clothing cupboard. And, because we are who we are, all this work points back to God, the giver of all good gifts!
We are letting our light shone before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to God! May we continually seek to respond to human need with loving service and through these actions proclaim the Good News of God’s love for all. This we pray as we sing: 502 You are salt for the earth
