Church of the Redeemer Update

In a few weeks the top Anglican leaders of the world, representing the majority of Anglican Christians around the globe, will be gathered in a historic meeting in Jerusalem. One of the purposes of this event, the Global Anglican Future Conference, will be to consider future directions and alignments in a Church that has been rocked by decades of theological 'drift', particularly in the Western parts of that Communion. That drifting was embodied in a crisis when the Episcopal Church in 2003, contrary to long established Christian teaching and practice, consecrated an openly-gay man as Bishop in the one 'holy, catholic and apostolic' faith. But Gene Robinson's appointment as a bishop in New Hampshire was a flashpoint, not the real heart of infidelity. Deeper issues of scriptural integrity and authority, the person and work of Jesus Christ, and theological non-negotiables that form the core of the 'faith once delivered' are the foundational understandings that lie at the center of the deepening divide. Bishop John Rodgers has referred to this as 'the fault-line of Biblical truth'. That's why we are clear when we say that the disagreements and subsequent divisions in the church that we have witnessed are not essentially about human sexuality.

You know that I don't write or speak much on this topic. I would rather help us strengthen as a local church, grow in our devotion and worship of God, and be about the task of mission and service. And that will always be my primary focus as Rector. But we are part of a larger story of God's work in the world—not just regionally or in the United States, but globally as the vitality and leadership of the Christian Church (just not Anglicans) shifts from the northern to the southern hemisphere.

The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem is not happening in a vacuum. It is convened after many previous meetings over a number of years as the divide has grown, and leaders from the Global South, such as Rwanda, Nigeria, the Southern Cone, etc, have needed to step into crisis situations in the West. These crises of faith and leadership are also playing out in places such as Canada, the UK, Australia, to name just a few. Many feel that the time is ripe for a new 'wineskin' of church relationships to enable forward movement of mission and faithful Christian community. Others are still hoping to serve as witness to the part of the church that has not yet repented of its compromise. Both of these viewpoints will be represented at GAFCON, and it is impossible to predict the outcome. Just two months after GAFCON the Archbishop of Canterbury will convene the Lambeth Conference, the meeting of Anglican Bishops from around the world held every ten years. A number of bishops attending GAFCON, including ours from Rwanda, have already said they will not go to Lambeth, while some will. Whatever happens, it is clear that this is a year unlike any other that we have witnessed in recent times, and that a re-alignment, renewal and reformation is taking place in the church as a work of the Holy Spirit.

We need to be praying for both of these events this summer. Much is at stake and it would be easy to seek largely political and engineered solutions. We are human, so there is always some element of ourselves in any deliberation and decision. We're incarnational, so we expect and embrace that. But we do want to pray for God's wisdom to prevail and God's will to be done, so that human agendas and ideas will be submitted to God's, and informed by divine will. We want to pray for protection for those traveling to and from the Holy Land, and we desire to pray for their spiritual well being.

The Anglican Mission in America has issued a special call to prayer, as have other groups. To read more, click here. For AMiA's prayer page, click here.

You can also follow events on the GAFCON website, www.gafcon.org, and other sites that track Anglican developments (www.anglican-mainstream.net and www.globalsouthanglican.org, for example). But be careful of the interpretation and spin that is already preceding this conference and will surely follow it. The AMiA has representatives that will be attending, and they will share with us their perspective following the event. Our own Jim McCall from Church of the Redeemer will be attending, as will William and Anne Beasley and several others from the Chicago area. So we'll be able to get a good report once the conference has concluded.

This event is not a business meeting or convention but more like the historic councils of the faith as Bishops and leaders come together to worship, pray and discern. GAFCON is being presented as a pilgrimage—a spiritual journey, and we pray that it is indeed, just that, for the sake of Christ's Church.

Next week I will be participating in a study week, as I attend a preaching institute at Princeton Theological Seminary. I would ask your prayers for that time, that it be restful and fruitful.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday, May 15. May God hold, guide and bless us as we enter the days of summer.

Blessings!
Jay+

The Rev. Jay L. Greener, Rector
Church of the Redeemer
frjay@redeemernorthshore.org

As Father Jay is away on a study week, there will be no noon Eucharist this Wednesday. There will be a prayer gathering at 7pm at the Evangelical Church in Highland Park.

June 21 is the Redeemer Kids Party in the Park summer outreach in Highwood. Please plan to attend this event as an opportunity to enjoy the company of your Redeemer family and the community of Highwood. You are also encouraged to invite any families you know who may enjoy an afternoon of live music, games, prizes, crafts, drama, and lunch! Flyers will be available this Sunday at the welcome table, so pick up a few and invite your friends.

Volunteer opportunities are still available to act in the presentation of the Jonah story, help run games, and work with decorations. Contact Allyson at the church office, (847) 681-2872, if you'd like to help out!

Alpha is an exciting and effective program of non-threatening evangelism that has been in use around the world for a number of years. We would like to once again offer Alpha through our congregation, beginning this fall, and need to identify a Coordinator.
If you like to bring people together, are a good organizer, and enjoy seeing people come to faith, then this might be for you. If so, please contact Father Jay at the church office, or by email, frjay@redeemernorthshore.org.

An Alpha conference, featuring Nicky Gumbel and worship leader Tim Hughes (Here I Am to Worship) is coming to Chicago (Wheaton College) June 23-24. This would be a great introduction and lead-in to a possible fall launch of this at Redeemer. Visit www.alphausa.org/converge

Average offering needed each Sunday: $6,900
Offering last week: $6,295.80
Budget shortfall at end of May: $11,000

This Sunday, June 8, 2008, we will have a parents meeting 10 minutes after coffee hour for all parents of Jr. High and High School students.