I went along to a local Church one Sunday evening recently. Someone was playing the piano quietly and I prepared for a meditative act of worship. Being early I found myself telling one person that I had once been a member (it was Presbyterian) but had left to join an Episcopal church which had been renewed by a number of members transferring from another place and a new Minister with gifts in teaching and evangelism.
'Oh' she said 'that's Evangelical (bad), now we're Liberal! (good)' The Service started at that point so I didn't need to respond.
A previous Episcopal Primus on his election reportedly said 'We used to say we were Episcopalian but now we know we are Christian'. However at an Episcopal gathering we were asked to write down on Post-its a response to the question 'What have we to offer?' (not I noticed 'where is God leading us?') . The responses were reported as a long list and most of the answers revolved round traditional services: 'We have Liturgy'; 'We have choral music and/or organ music'; 'We are intelligent'(!) 'We are comfortable'-- but no-one mentioned God or Christian commitment.
Too often traditional churches appear to be little more than religious clubs with comfortable members who resist change and do not welcome newcomers who don't fit in to that culture.
But Jesus never said 'come and join my church -sign up to these rules--' He is much more interested in which direction we are travelling and says 'Follow Me.'
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