Autumn Newsletter 2020 Future Church: what is the Spirit saying? The church has served in hitherto unimagined ways The Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. throughout the pandemic, feeding the hungry, comforting The Spirit is a witness and a prophetic sign of a different the lost and lonely, in ways we previously treated with place. The Spirit is strength and comfort for the now. caution. I have had a recurring prayerful daydream in these Kingdom life is not escapism, it is an invasive and days of Rublev’s Icon (that picture of the Trinity seated at uncomfortable rescue mission. So, don’t expect the Spirit a table) springing to life. In my imagining God laments our to speak easy words to the church, but do allow yourself to mere talk about ‘reimagining ministry’ to focus beyond be deeply comforted as God works among us even in tough our own issues; maybe their reimagining might be more times. Don’t expect a focus only, even mainly, on us, but do fruitful. I pray that this newsletter eavesdrops on that find strength, joy, and purpose as we are swept up and out conversation, so we can join in. as part of Kingdom life. I think I am becoming aware of several themes that the “ Kingdom life is not escapism, it is an invasive Spirit is inviting us into. Among these is a call to inhabit and uncomfortable rescue misson.” and understand exile for the sake of the lost and the Kingdom. And dare to expect that the gifts we need will be given Bear with me; this is massive. The Bible comprises two when we need them and not merely when we make time covenants: in the first (the Old Testament) God provides for them. This shapes you as one who yearns to step onto land, heritage, security, and law. The repeated pattern the waves as we embrace our exilic call for the sake of the is people abandoning Him, being exiled, repenting, and lost and the coming of the kingdom. This is our call, and being restored. In the second covenant Christ reverses God’s loving mission. And He is always able. this pattern. He leaves glory for ‘our’ world, a chosen exilic space, for our repentance. Through His life, death, and resurrection we find life in the Kingdom of God. And our call as followers is to live “as aliens and strangers” in the world, for now, that others might hear Good News, repent, and find life in Christ. We deliberately inhabit exile for this purpose until such time as we are called home for the sake of the Kingdom of God. There’s loads more I could say; this changes the way we relate, pray, worship, and think of ourselves and others. Above all it keeps us focused on the main task of the Kingdom. We are called to live in uncomfortable places The Rt Revd Mark Tanner ReSource’s new Patron and times in order that the lost might hear, liberty Page Index might be proclaimed, salvation might be found, and the Spirit given. Read the New Testament and notice 2 Future Church: ReSource Ministry both why the Spirit is given and that the Spirit is poured 3 Future Church: called to a certain hope out when disciples follow Christ into the most uncomfortable of places. 4 Future Church: relational and contextual 5 Future Church: keeping up with the Spirit 6 Changing Times 7 Introducing ReSource Ministers 8 News Items www.resource-arm.net [email protected] 01952 371300 Autumn Newsletter 2020 2 Future Church: ReSource Ministry New Patron We hear the voices of two young church leaders for whom, God-willing, future-church will be the reality that they will serve beyond their recent ordinations. Stephen Dinsmore brings us a voice from the overseas church. We are also delighted that Bishop Mark Tanner, the new Bishop of Chester, has not only accepted an invitation to be ReSource’s new Patron, but has contributed an article in which he explores what it means not only for Jesus, but for those who follow Him, to live in a “chosen exilic space” for the sake of the world. Church is changing. It has had to change, beyond In welcoming +Mark to his new role, +John Holbrook the Chair recognition even, during the days of the lockdown. And of our Trustees, says “Bishop Mark is a Christian leader it will continue to look different to the old-normal as the of spiritual passion, deep wisdom and real vision. We are restrictions begin to loosen and we start to gather again, thrilled to welcome him as our Patron.” Indeed, we are. socially distanced, wearing our masks and singing under Elsewhere in the Newsletter you will catch sight of how our breath. How strange it feels, and yet how liberating ReSource is equipping itself to serve the church in all its to be doing something different in the way we worship normals and transitions. Whatever future-church looks and the way that we relate to each other. like, it must be Spirit-shaped and Spirit-gifted and Spirit- But what of church beyond the transition, however long equipped and Spirit-filled, and we look forward to playing that might be? Some are starting to speak about a new- our part in the church’s renewal, discipleship and mission normal, in which the church is permanently re-formed for in the power of the Spirit, now, and in the years to come. life and mission, pruned of some of its branches, gathering Kevin Roberts, Director of ReSource into its life some of the things we have discovered during the pandemic and want to carry with us into the future. Online Ministry Certainly, we can’t begin to think that pruned branches can be grafted back into church as though nothing has ReSource’s ministry continues in a variety of ways during the current crisis. happened. We can’t simply reconstruct the old-normal. That would be both folly, and unfaithful to the work God Companionship support for church leaders has been doing with us in recent months. in our Alongside scheme ReSource’s portfolio of events by Zoom No-normal? any of our events delivered online But does new-normal do it? Is future-church simply a new set of permanents; a new set of processes and ways A Sanctuary Day for our Times - processing the experience of a pandemic of doing things that will in time become as familiar and four sessions for personal or group use. undemanding for us as the old-normal? Are we really just going to swap one normal for another? Or might there be The Resources Hub materials for individuals and groups no-normal? Could it be that we re-discover something of the adventure of church and discipleship that never settles, Weekly ReSource Blog that follows the One who is the Way, and that shapes itself thoughtful, inspirational pieces every Monday in a myriad of ways as we put the call to be mission-moulded Webinars ahead of any normal we might prefer for ourselves? monthly events on renewal themes Future-church is the theme that connects a number of the Anticipating a day when we are free to meet again articles this Newsletter, as we ask what the Spirit is saying face to face please book ahead for a ReSource event in 2021 through the office or [email protected] to the churches for life beyond the lockdown. www.resource-arm.net [email protected] 01952 371300 Autumn Newsletter 2020 3 Future Church: called to a certain hope These last few months have highlighted the the strong resurrected Jesus that impermanence of so many things that we have taken for will be our guide into the future- granted in life and in the church. From his perspective as church and on whom we can a recently ordained Curate, preparing to work at Preston depend when everything else is Minster, Andy Dykes finds hope for the future of the evaporating. The strength of Jesus church in the enduring strength of the risen Jesus. exposes the fragility of a fading In 1955 a 47-year-old designer called Alex Lewyt heralded a world. His strong presence passes new age of technology with these words: “Nuclear-powered easily through the weakness of our vacuum cleaners will probably be a reality within ten years.” present situations. The key for the If an expert designer, specialising in vacuum cleaners, can future-church then is to not make be so outlandishly wrong about the future of the hoover, the same mistake I did. We must perhaps I should be careful about commenting on the future know what is solid and what is not. of the church. But where would be the fun in that? The Church that Jesus calls us to Walking near our flat in London, it’s impossible not to I think the future-church, that is the Church that Jesus calls be struck by the enormity of the change that has taken us to, will be known by three things. It’s perhaps fitting that place since March. The elbow bump is the new handshake, they are the three enduring things from 1 Corinthians 13. epidemiologists the new celebrities and designer face masks are on all our Christmas lists. But as well as ushering in the The future-church will be known for Faith. When defeat has ‘new’, the change has exposed the ‘old’. It has shown that so been snatched from the jaws of victory, when confusion has many things we took to be solid and dependable are in fact overtaken truth, when we are unpopular and unattractive, fragile and fleeting.