On Sunday, February 23, the Ascension will be holding its annual vestry meeting.
Vestry meetings can be difficult for the church. On one hand we use the language of commerce, the business corporation or the market place, with words like budgets, expenses, cash flows, debits and credits. On-the-other-hand, the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ is exactly opposite.
Business is owned by an individual or shareholders; in other words, people who buy shares in the business. The more money you have, the more shares you can buy. In the Church of Jesus Christ, there are no owners; there are no shares for sale. There is no monetary currency that is acceptable to God. God, Creator of the Universe is master of everything and enables everything. We are His stewards, caretakers of His wealth.
Business operates on a hierarchy, not only of authority, but of privilege. The Church of Jesus Christ has no hierarchy. All are equal in the sight of God. All have sinned and have come short of the glory of God. All are in need of God’s mercy and grace. All are saved.
Business is concerned with increasing the value for the shareholders and delivering a high profit. The Church of Jesus Christ is not concerned with accumulating wealth for the sake of wealth and for only giving some profit. What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Business is governed by contracts. The Church of Jesus Christ is governed by a Covenant: a promise that cannot be breached; a promise that cannot be revoked; a promise with all the liability all the cost assumed by Jesus Christ on the Cross.
Business is not concerned with the everyday routines of its workers. The Church of Jesus Christ is called to proclaim the Good News to the poor, care and protect the most vulnerable, feed the hungry, help release the captives, tend the sick, comfort the dying and those who mourn.
Business is concerned with competition, in which there are winners and losers. The Church of Jesus Christ is concerned with saving the losers: God so wants the lost.
If our interest and perspective are that of the shareholder, then the door of our mind and heart will be closed to the call of God. We will continue as we are: limited and confined to our own abilities never experiencing the abundance that is in dependence on God. Indeed God can make the world right with one word. God with a word can take care of all the agenda items on the Vestry agenda.
At our Vestry, let us endeavour to depend on God and not our own abilities and resources; let us reflect on our own shortcomings and forgive others theirs as God forgives ours; let us hear God’s calling and not the calling of our own agenda; let us respond with thanksgiving, praise and love to do the work of Jesus Christ.
