Come Holy Spirit! Let this Lenten season be for us, the people of All Saints Parish - Waccamaw, a season of healing and renewal. As we repent and fast and pray, we invite You, Holy Spirit, to cleanse our hearts of any hidden impurities - unforgiveness, fear, anger, pride - anything that would get in the way of our serving You in greater power and authority. Deliver us, O Lord, from any secret sin that would hinder our "practicing the Name of Jesus" and loving others as He loves us. We place ourselves on Your altar as we lay our sins at the foot of Your cross. Now give us ears to hear and hearts to obey. We pray this in Your holy and life-giving Name. Amen
1I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 ESV)
Lent is always a season marked by crying out to the Lord for direction - a season of spiritual discernment - and Lent came early this year. Since the withdrawal of our Anglican Mission bishops from Rwanda on December 5th of last year, and the subsequent announcement from Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje of his intent to form a Missional Jurisdiction out of Rwanda for those who wish to remain under his oversight, we have indeed been in a season of discernment.
As we press into the Lord and seek His face during this season, I will offer a point of clarification as well as a point of encouragement. First by way of clarification, this season of discernment is not just about where we might land canonically, or how we will ultimately fit within this Anglican reorganization. I believe the more important question before us is "Will we listen to the Lord?" What is the Lord saying to us as a church family? What issues have raised their ugly head during this time? How have we loved each other? What cracks are being exposed in our façade?
Be encouraged, remembering that the Lord is in the redemption business. I believe I heard from the Lord early in this season of discernment, and I truly believe this is a word for All Saints - that He desires to do in one or two years what it would typically have taken Him twenty or thirty years to do. I believe what is being offered to us here is a "heart transplant" of sorts. Building on the solid ministry and teaching of the past thirty years, the Lord wants to pour out on us, in even greater measure, His heart for His people as He releases us out into the world to heal, bless, and live the good news of the Kingdom of God in the power of the Holy Spirit. This could be a season of unprecedented spiritual growth for All Saints.
So, as the reorganization within the Anglican Mission in America continues to unfold, let me remind us all that we have our marching orders. The Lord expects us to love one another and serve Him. In regard to the day to day life of All Saints, nothing has changed. Stay focused on the mission and ministry the Lord has given you. This means we battle to stay focused on Jesus and the people and relationships to which He has called us. In regard to the unrest and rancor within the Mission and our corner of the Anglican world, we avoid blaming and posturing, keeping our eyes on Jesus. Keep your hearts soft, refuse to demonize, and be quick to challenge those who build up their position by tearing down another. Remember, if the "rightness" of our position is wholly dependent upon our recognizing and pointing out the "wrongness" of a differing position, then we are poorly positioned.
For those who desire further discussion regarding the reorganization within the Anglican church, I am pleased to announce a Parish Forum to be held on Tuesday night, March 6th, at 6:00.
In closing, as I have said from the pulpit, we have no intention of breaking from the Anglican Mission in America. Nor do we have any intention of coming out from under Archbishop Rwaje and the oversight of the Province of Rwanda. Our corporate life of prayer, worship and giving reflects this truth. There is no desire but to wait on the Lord to do His good work in us and to make clear what is, as yet, unknown. So, in this season of Lent, we pray for discernment and we humbly wait on the Lord. Come Holy Spirit! Do that good work in us that You might be freed up in greater measure to do Your good work through us. Let this Lenten season be a season of healing and renewal in the Lord.
