My Dream for The PCC in 2015

I have a dream for my Presbyterian Church. 

We’re engaging in conversation around what full inclusion looks like for persons from the LGBTQ community.  Like with many other national bodies, the individual viewpoints are diverse and each position is defended with passion.  In my own Presbytery, I’ve had the privilege to work with gracious colleagues as we propose a request to our General Assembly (The PCC’s highest governing body).  Though conversation wasn’t always easy, I sensed a commitment to working together.  It allowed us to arrive at this conclusion: agreement isn’t required when our mission is pointing people to Jesus Christ.

This position is called Generous Spaciousness by The Rev. Wendy Gritter, executive director of New Direction ministry and her words have inspired my dreams for what the Church can be. New Direction focuses on creating a safe environment for people from both sides of the issue to nurture their faith and grow in their relationship with Christ.

In a recent blog post, Wendy beautifully describes the concept this way:

“Generous spaciousness is energized by Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17 that we would be one so that the world would know.  Our unity, transcending our differences and diversity, is intimately connected to our public witness.  When we choose the way of love, we can find the beauty of unity, and we can be a beautiful picture to those who may be watching. 

Generous spaciousness isn’t trying to “solve a problem” of who is right and who is wrong on the question of covenanted same-sex relationships for followers of Jesus.  Audacious as it sounds, we want to reframe this “problem” as an opportunity – an opportunity to grow in spiritual maturity as we reach out to love one another across our differences (which can be both intimate and significant).  We believe that this spiritual formation may be more important than the imagined perfect resolution – that the far right may envision as upholding a particular view of scriptural authority and the far left may view as a justice that eradicates oppression. 

Somewhere in the midst of all the tension of disagreement, there is a pearl of great price to be found – a unity that sings to the world of a loving and good God.”

What a great perspective,

            and my new year dream for our Church

She recalled what this looked like at a communion service during the annual retreat:

“At the [New Direction] retreat, our community groups (intentionally diverse, the groups have spent the whole weekend in dialogue together) come up together to serve each other the bread and the wine.  I have the “take off your shoes” experience of celebrating with each of the groups as they come forward.  One moment, in particular, is etched in my memory.  An individual who works for the Southern Baptist denomination in the U.S (not known for LGBTQ+ affirmation) tenderly served a queer theologian.  They had their arms around each other and tears were streaming down their faces.  It was a sacred moment of the kind of unity in our diversity that I dream about! 

We have all heard stories of the harm and division the alternative brings.  Some of us have even made our peace that this is a necessary evil to the “right” (read, “my”) way.  I was working to plan a retreat a few years ago. As I filled out forms to secure a booking with a facility we’d used a few times before, I noticed a new page.  It outline their view on the scriptures regarding this issue, and then stated that only those who signed onto agreement with this view would be welcome to use their facilities.  No doubt they felt they were right, but who were they excluding and what spiritual growth were they denying themselves by not welcoming the stranger?

There is a danger to emphasizing a single position to the exclusion of others.  Wendy quotes Miroslav Volf who reminds us, “The harder I pursue justice, the blinder I become to the injustice that I myself perpetuate.” 

I want better for our church.  In January, this working group is proposing to our Presbytery a Big Tent, where we can spend more time listening to God’s Spirit speaking through each other in hopes of letting the Spirit shape us into his likeness.

I believe such a position will honor our Lord, and reflect him well to those who are watching.  That’s my dream for our church.

For those interested in reading Wendy’s full blog post, click here.