Eastern Shore Episcopalian - Summer Issue 2018

Being the Church Beyond the Walls:
Understanding the Care for Others through Outreach, Evangelism, and Missional Work
The Rev. Dr. Barbara Anne Fisher, Missioner:
Church Beyond the Walls, Diocese of Easton
In the 21 st chapter of the Gospel
of John we find Jesus asking
three times if Peter loves him.
Each time Peter responds, Jesus
uses the image of a herder/
shepherd in issuing Peter a call
to care for the people. While so
much focus is given to the triple
questioning being Jesus’ way of
forgiving Peter his three denials,
I believe the deeper meaning is
in recognizing Jesus’ challenge to
Peter to truly comprehend that
he is being called to minister
to all people – a new concept
for that time and culture. In
the subtle nuances of the Greek
language between “pasturing
my lambs,” “tending my sheep,”
and “pasturing my sheep/cattle,”
we can see the call to the three
different ministries of outreach,
evangelism, and missional
work. As a missioner, I believe
it provides an understanding of
what it means to live into the
fullness of “being the Church
beyond the walls:”
OUTREACH: Pasturing the
lambs of God (John 21: 15)
When we are called to pasture
the lambs, we are called to a
ministry of meeting a need
that we have recognized in our
surrounding community-atlarge.
It is having the heart to see
the vulnerability of those in need
and to provide for their care. As
was discussed at the Convention
workshop, providing backpacks
to children at the beginning
of school is an example of the
ministry of outreach.
EVANGELISM: Tending the
sheep of God (John 21: 16)
The call in the Greek nuances is
that of a pastoral-care ministry.
It is to provide a deeper
understanding of God’s love and
presence within the world, and
12
The Food Ministry of St. Andrew’s in
Hurlock serves close to 150 families
(600 people) each week.