Eternal Mission
FROM THE RECTOR
On the way to school in the mornings, one of my children and I frequently end up behind the same large passenger van. Although several years old, it still looks nice and seems big enough to transport as many as twenty-five people. (A nice, new-to-us handicapped-accessible fifteen-passenger bus would be a great asset to our church, but that’s topic for another article.) My favorite part about this particular bus is the faded outline of a church slogan that can barely be read on the back door of the vehicle: “Church on an Eternal Mission.”
The fact that those words, which cast a vision toward forever, are now only a remnant on a van that presumably has been repurposed by a different organization makes me smile. Church slogans and mission statements often fade away into irrelevance. Sometimes entire congregations fold up. I do not know anything about the congregation that once used that bus. They may have simply upgraded to a nicer model. But, as quick as I am to laugh at the transient nature of institutional Christianity, I do believe that our church is a part of something that will last far longer than our own congregation.
I would prefer a more precise designation than “eternal,” which implies timelessness stretching beyond our imaginations in both directions—past and future—but I believe the mission of the church, as the Body of Christ, will last until the end of time. I think the calling given to the world by Jesus Christ transcends any particular congregation or denomination. It casts a vision that will outlast every nation. Even though I expect that Episcopalians will be worshipping on East Avenue in Fayetteville for at least another 175 years, I think the work of the church will persist long after all of us, our buildings, and even our legacy have turned to dust.
The mission of the church, as expressed in our Catechism, “is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ” (BCP p. 855). We may want to grow as a church. We may want to attract new individuals and families. We may want to form new disciples. We may want to pursue more work in the community. We may want to be a part of the transformation of Fayetteville into the fuller manifestation of God’s reign. But all of those things, while important, are part of something even bigger and more critical—the restoration of unity between all people and God in Christ. That is the “eternal” mission our church is on, and remembering that helps us do what we do even better.
After disclosing that universal and timeless mission statement, the Catechism asks, “How does the Church pursue its mission?” The answer it provides is stunningly simple: “The Church pursues its mission as it prays and worships, proclaims the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace, and love.” Think about that strange collision of the limitlessness of our mission and the immediacy of our work. We are called to the unfathomable task of pursuing the reconciliation and wholeness of every human and divine relationship, yet we carry out that work through every prayer and act of worship, in each proclamation of the good news of Jesus, and through every gesture of justice, peace, and love, no matter how small they might be. In other words, we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves, yet the part we play is significant in every way.
I believe that there is a holiness to be found in balancing the finitude of our particular contributions and the magnitude of our participation in the collective work that God is doing in the world. We are a congregation that does amazing things, and I am thankful to be a part of a community of faith that is always looking for what our next big project will be. Yet that incredible work is nothing more than a tiny piece of something much more substantial. The goodness that God has brought into this place through the people of St. Paul’s could never be fully expressed, yet it pales in comparison with the work done throughout this community and across the world in every generation. And, best of all, that realization does nothing to diminish the significance of our contribution to that timeless work. In fact, it enhances it.
We are a part of something really big—nothing less than the restoration of unity between God and all people. Every little thing we do at St. Paul’s as we explore and celebrate God’s infinite grace, acceptance, and love is a part of that. Every prayer you pray is an offering of yourself into that universal work. Every dish you wash at Community Meals is a piece of that great restoration. Every note you sing, every Children’s Chapel lesson you lead, every dollar you give, every friend you console is a way to participate in the work of the church. Allow yourself to catch a glimpse of your place in that great mission. Your role—our role—may only be one among an innumerable multitude of saints, yet that is our calling, and it is one worth celebrating.
Yours Faithfully,
Evan D. Garner