COMMENT

The Very Rev Albert Bogle draws parallels between key moments for Moses and the current situation of the Church.

DURING the month of October 2020, if you follow the Church Lectionary there are four key stories, relating to the wilderness experience of the Hebrews escaping from Egypt. The giving of the law to Moses (Exodus 20:1-6). The worship of the golden calf (Exodus 32:1-8). The vulnerable Moses looking for God’s presence to journey with him, (Exodus 33: 12-23). And finally Moses realises he will never lead the people into the promised land (Deuteronomy 34:1-12).

These accounts can help to shape our thinking and reflections at this time when many are looking for comfort and security. The stories cover a forty year period and highlight four seminal moments in the salvation history of the people of Israel. They are stories about struggle, identity, hardship and doubt, but they also point to a route map out of despair, one that speaks of hope for a brighter future.

These narratives can highlight parallels in our lives and can be used to teach us about the nature and purpose of the church today, especially as we encounter a new kind of freedom and understanding of what it means to be God’s people in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. They invite us to ask, how are we going to use this new freedom to help reshape the world that is around us? Coming out of lockdown will be dangerous for many as jobs are lost and personal circumstances are changed for thousands across the country but it is also a time for Christians to point to the hope we have in Christ.

Economists tell us we are now entering into an unprecedented recession and the chief medical officers of the UK remind us that we continue to be in the midst of a pandemic. Both of these realities will continue to affect church finances and bring an uncertainty about how public worship should continue to develop. Many church buildings will remain closed and online worship rather than being a blip that has occurred during the summer of 2020, may well become the medium of choice for many for the next two years.

It is at a time like this church leaders need to keep their heads and remind themselves of the importance of worship. We were born to worship. When Jesus was faced with the temptation to turn stones into bread, he said to Satan: “Human beings cannot live on bread alone.” In other words Jesus knew we must not allow ourselves to become economic pawns. We are individuals with hearts and souls and minds that are in search of the eternal. Whatever way we decide to worship God, we need to offer our very best, regardless of cost, even in the midst of a recession. We need to be a people of prayer and creativity as we search to blend offline and online worship in such a way that it brings honour to God and relief and inspiration to weary souls.

The first of the stories opens up a discussion about our attitude to worship and its essential role in maintaining our well being. As Christians we worship God daily by the way we live and honour his covenant of grace towards us. The cut and thrust of everyday living which is bound up in the commandments of God is all part of our worship that takes place outside the walls of organised church. We must never lose sight of our daily spiritual walk as worship to God.

The second story engages with the temptation to worship false gods and how that eventually affects the health and well being of those around us. The third and fourth stories open up our thinking about leadership. How do you know when it is time as a leader to depart to make room for a new approach? And why is it essential that leadership models a godly way of living for the community? Sanctuary First will be engaging with some of these issues this month in order to help us as Christians be relevant and effective beacons of hope in our communities; especially when so many friends and neighbours will find themselves unemployed, fearful of illness, and facing financial hardships.

This must be the moment for the church to re-engage with the meaning and significance of worship and the impact good leadership can have on our communities, so that everyone realises their worth and value in the midst of an economic crisis.

We may be unable to go back to church as we knew it. Yet surely we are being called to make a new journey, to free ourselves from past traditions and buildings maintaining structures that are no longer relevant to God’s mission for his church. The time has come for us to move into a new place of transition and commitment, embarking on a new and exciting faith journey. It is my hope these stories will open our minds to go on the journey with hope and assurance that we never travel alone.