Not long ago, as folxs were arriving for worship, some witnessed an individual expressing a somewhat colourful opinion about our coexist flag. It would seem the individual driving by didn’t think a church should be promoting coexistence. What do you think? Why do we choose to fly a diverse assortment of flags?
Fun with flags grew out of a desire to send the message that we are an outward looking congregation that cares about diverse people and needs. It started with a Pride flag, but then when someone said: if you are going to fly that flag what other flags are you willing to fly, we accepted the challenge. Sometimes ministry can grow organically like this. It can begin with an invitation, a question, a concern, or a challenge and then we work it through our structures and see if it makes sense with who we are.
We can imagine the process being a bit more chaotic for those in the early Church. After all, Jesus didn’t leave a prayer book or a policy manual. There was no structure for how the group was to exist and hold its shape, how they were to make sense together. All they had was Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection, and that was supposed to be enough to figure out what is good and right.
As Peter says in his first letter: Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord.
And again, Jesus himself says: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.
So, what does this information tell us about how to be Church? (Don’t worry about suffering for doing good just focus on Christ as Lord. Love Jesus and keep his commandments and the Advocate will be with you. That’s very concrete stuff!)
It is concrete stuff. The key is to centre Jesus or as the song goes: the Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord. Our response to challenges, questions, invitations should reflect how we understand the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. When we can make those connections, it doesn’t matter what other people think. We are choosing the good. We are choosing Jesus and that is what really matters.
So, what might we say to the person who doesn’t like our coexist flag? How would we connect that to Jesus? What about the clothing cupboard? What other ministries do we engage in that we can connect to Jesus?
Jesus says: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. God, working in us does infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. All we need to do is to continually centre God in the choices we make as individuals and as people of faith. May we perpetually seek to do this good. This we pray as we sing: (VT) 332 In Christ Alone
