Making All Things New...

This past Sunday was interesting. I spent the afternoon doing a little praying about the good people of St. Mary’s, Williamsport, who were celebrating their final eucharist before closing that parish. I’m delighted to hear that the pews were full, though the current congregation numbers only a half dozen or so souls.

At the same time, I was sorting through the photos that the Diocese received over the summer... images that illustrate the diocese we are today. There were shots of teams working to rebuild in Mississippi, visitors to Brazil; bishops at Lambeth; a number of local parish events; young people on mission trips, at summer camp, and at the national EYE conference in San Antonio. You can see them all from the “summer photo album” link on the diocesan web site here.

It is worth noting that there are new ministries afoot in Williamsport as well. They are the first fruits of a long process of rediscovery that the clergy and people there have crafted. It’s a slow process, but it’s happening.

Why does it matter? It matters because the rumors of our demise are, for the most part, untrue. Church, done successfully, is far more than how many fill the pews on Sundays. Church is about being God’s community when we’re out in the community, and we’re discovering that it can be really good evangelism as well. It’s not a new model; in fact, it’s the original model. It worked for the Disciples; it might work here, too.