Rev. Dr. Wayne Atkinson's Ramblings

As part of the United Church of Canada, a church that has always endeavoured to keep abreast of the deepest thinking in pastoral, biblical, theological and religious studies, I believe that we have within our reach many unexplored opportunities to proclaim, in word and in deed, the biblical message that addresses the heart, the mind and the will.

As we move journey forward in faith we will both encounter and be nurtured by:

	a challenging proclamation of the Gospel that is alive to the issues of the day and that thoughtfully addresses heart, mind, and will;
	a view of discipleship that encourages new expressions of faith and commitment;
	an understanding of learning that recognizes that diversity of opinion and outlook enrich a community of faith and that our questions are as important as our answers;
	a celebration of the Christian faith that strives to offer the best we have to give;
	a perspective that seeks to build bridges between faith and all aspects of life around us;
	and a willingness to live with a great deal of ambiguity.

"Change or die"

"And to postpone change is to choose death!"

These words from the 64-page Report on Ministry in The 21^st Century, a study released this fall by the United Church of Canada, indicate that the statistics paint a grim picture.

"The drastic contrast between the church today and the church of 30 years ago suggests that the United Church, overall, has attracted few new members to its community. In 1961 the vast majority of United Church members were 29 years old or younger with the largest single group being 20 to 29; in 1999 the vast majority of United Church people are over 50." 
(p. 11)

According to the report the numbers reveal that the United Church is not attracting young people. Now is the time for action:

"The church is in crisis now. In relation to ministry, the church is pressured to stop thinking about the next decade and to start thinking about next week, or even tomorrow. The United Church must change or die; that is its situation. And to postpone change is to choose death!" (p. 11 - bold mine)

The report also has an optimistic side:

"...all indications from the culture seem to indicate that people are hungry for spirituality....However, this search for a new spirituality is shaped by our individualistic and consumer-oriented society so that they are looking for quick, fast and colourful expressions of faith."(p. 14)

The United Church has a history of adapting to the changing times while maintaining the core values of faith.

If the church is to move into the 21^st century with hope, it must first admit "with frankness" the harsh reality it faces. Only then can it seek strategies to respond to the spiritual hunger in our culturally-diverse, socially-changing and mobile society with strong, vibrant spirituality..

Through baptism God calls and empowers all Christians to share in this ministry of Jesus Christ. God calls each Christian to live out his or her call in the context of daily life, whether at home, at work, in the community or at church. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians (4:1) reminds us "to live a life worthy of the calling (vocation) you have received". Our God-given gifts for service, for compassion, for seeking justice, for resisting evil are called forth in the name of Jesus Christ and the gospel.