Health warning

I wonder if we made a commercial for the Episcopal Church with the same sort of strictures that drug companies are under what we would say? Of course the images would be of smiling people and happy endings with gentle fades and outstretched arms. There would be a sense of finding and belonging, there would be a sense of fulfilment and completeness together with the information that research shows that Church may extend lifespan, lower blood pressure but then what about that health warning they have to add - the fast talking voice than warns of every nasty disease - what would that say. A risk of heartbreak and deception, of humanity at its worst not its best.......?

The thing is that most of us take the risk quite happily when we take a new drug - confident the help it promises outweighs the risks of complications. I have been on the short end of bad drug reactions so I know that those warnings are very real but still would not refuse recommended treatment, even though I am more circumspect about it these days.

Yet how many people refuse to darken the door of a church because someone was once horrible to them after a service or asked their child to be quiet in a sermon. The "health risks" of dealing with messy humanity seem to automatically rule out interaction with "Church people". But Church people are as varied as all other people, there are good and there are bad, mean and nice, kind and unkind.

However, that does not let us off the hook, we are striving, always, to overcome those things which seperate us from God and each other. Intentional welcome is something which we often talk about but then I wonder how many of us seek feedback on how we ourselves can improve our "health warning rating" both in Church and elsewhere.

There is no dount in my mind that Church is a worthwhile enterprise but there is also no doubt that the Body of Christ can be very unkind and uncharitable at times - I just know that the benefits outweigh the risk - and I could definately write a lengthy health warning.

We have to work, always, to reach out, to overcome those old hurts which people bear and, sometimes, this means putting our own pain aside - it means leaving our own castle undefended or not stirring the pot that extra time - not today. If we concentrate our efforts on love, especially on loving those who are looking to us for hope and guidance then that love will, in turn, transform those areas which sit in shadow in our Churches.

At the time when the Church of England was most divided my the Ordination of Women measures the powers that be began a "Decade of Evangelism" - the thought was simple - a common cause to unite all beyond party.

Our common cause is still the same - we are to share, to know Christ and make Christ known and to share a risky love. We are human, we will always have to add the addendum "may make a dreadful mistake" to any FDA approved message but perhaps we can add from our unique perspective - "at least we know how to say sorry."