Crosslight - Edition April 2020

“ We are being called back to our
purpose of becoming dynamic
pockets of grace.”
Rev Dr Sally Douglas
Minister, Richmond
Uniting Church
Honorary Research Associate
and Associate Lecturer
Pilgrim Theological College
I don’t believe the hype that the church
is dying. While this is recited like a
mantra I don’t see the evidence. This is
because when these claims are being
made, context is often ignored.
The context in which churches and
Sunday Schools were full and the church
had tennis clubs and social dances
emerged out of a very particular set of
circumstances. Churches were large in a
western cultural context at a time when
the societal expectation was that you
had to go to church to be a respectful
citizen. The social pressure to conform
was enormous – particularly when the
voice of the church was often seen as the
ultimate moral authority.
Added to this cultural expectation,
there were far fewer opportunities
to socialise, so churches played an
important role in society.
While in the past, the expectation was
that going to church was “what you did”,
this kind of expectation no longer exists.
Indeed, the very opposite is true in our
context.
Now in Australia, people who go to
church do not garner respect, instead, if
anything, they are more likely to attract
people’s mistrust and derision. In a
sense, over the last several decades,
what was a form of “compulsory voting”
church attendance has now become an
optional, and, for many, a questionable,
choice.
What I find intriguing about this
change in society is that people still
choose to attend church. They are
not doing this for kudos or respect.
There are plenty of affordable quality
entertainment options available
(which do not involve giving up Sunday
mornings). People now have a plethora
of ways to connect with others and to
promote their businesses.
However, despite the flak and the
diverse opportunities on offer, young
and old people are still keen to find out
about the way of Jesus and to go deeper.
My sense is that while numbers may be
lower, the actual number of people who
are part of church communities because
they are seeking to be disciples of Jesus
may be higher.
While I am adverse to anything that
seems like boasting, it is fair to say
that where I minister at Richmond
UC the congregation is growing. The
majority of newer people are young
adults. We don’t have PowerPoint or a
band. We don’t seek to make worship
a form of entertainment, we have no
tennis club. Instead, we focus on what
is core: creating space for authentic,
transformative worship of the Divine,
going deeper into the scandalous way
of Jesus, and trying to live simply,
creatively and generously, together
serving in our local and global village.
I know other Uniting Church
congregations are growing in our
Synod too. Churches like Boronia
Road UC, Yarraville UC, Fairfield UC,
“Common Ground” Heidelberg UC,
Canterbury-Balwyn Road UC, St John’s
UC Cowes, Brunswick UC, Devonport UC,
Launceston South UC and Kingston UC.
There are others, too. I simply name
these particular congregations because I
want to disrupt this tiresome, misplaced
narrative of decline.
The church as a social club is dying.
The church as a marker of cultural
respect is dying. The church as the
authoritative “purity police” is dying.
Thanks be to God because Jesus does
not say anything about the church
being like these things. Instead Jesus,
the radiant One, talks about the church
being little and being loving – like
salt and light – embodying Divine
compassion in a way that people can
notice.
The church is being refined right now.
We are being called back to our purpose
of becoming dynamic pockets of grace
through whom Spirit can breathe,
communities in which all (including
ourselves) can discover and share the
healing and freedom and meaning that
emerges as we draw closer to the Source
of all. So let’s get on with it.
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