Together on the Journey: A Weekly Blog from Fr. Andrew Sheldon
I am a fan of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. I have read the book at least three times and seen the movies even more. The story centers around a fellowship: the Fellowship of the Ring. They are four hobbits, a dwarf, an elf, two men, and a wizard. They have nothing much in common; indeed, they have much that divides. But they have a mission and become a fellowship, on a journey, united in that mission.
I am also a fan of another story. It is the story of six fishermen, a tax collector, a banker, a freedom fighter, a twin and a bunch of nobodies. They had nothing much in common; and, indeed, they had much that divides. But they had a mission and became a fellowship, on a journey, united in that mission.
Those twelve became at least 120 by the Day of Pentecost, had 2000 added that day, and then sustained daily growth as more and more who had little in common and much that divides became a fellowship, on a journey, united in that mission.
This story is, of course, the growth of the early Christian movement as recorded in the early chapters of the book, The Acts of the Apostles – readings we are hearing each Sunday in the season of Easter.
And this is now our story, our people. A disparate group that has grown to 2.5 billion people. Divided in so many ways but in fellowship, on a journey, united in mission.
A handful of retirees, some lawyers, a smattering of business people, a banker or two, professors, teachers, and students. This is St George’s on-the-Hill. A people that have little in common and, indeed, even some things that divide, but are in fellowship, on a journey, united in mission.
And what is our mission? Quite simply: to proclaim in word and deed the message of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbours as ourselves.
Yes, some things will divide us, but the purpose is not unity, it is faithfulness. We are not a club of like-minded people; we are a community of a like-minded calling.
And like the fellowship of the ring, and the fellowship of the Christian movement, we are on a journey. We have not arrived; we are on the move. This community is not at the same place it was 180 years ago, not 50 years ago, not even one year ago. Every time a new person comes through the door, we are changed. And the purpose is not that we change the new but that the new changes us.
And we are united in mission. Mission is what unites us. Nothing else. Our purpose is the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed, and to love God and neighbour. Everything we do is toward that end. Worship is not merely an aesthetic exercise judged by the capacity of the presider to speak clearly and the choir to stay in tune. Worship is the means by which Christians are enabled and empowered to engage in the mission. Indeed, all we do – our programmes, our ministries, our building – is directed towards this mission and this end.
This is who we are to be, my friends. This is St George’s on-the-Hill: a disparate group of people, who are on a journey, in fellowship, united in mission.
With God’s help.
Glory to God whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine!
Andrew+