This was spoken at a meeting of the Village Plan Commission last evening by a member of the community. My initial reaction was anger.
- How could someone not know that the work of the a faith based community is non-stop?
- Where was this person in school when the Anglo settlement of New England in the 1600's by people fleeing religious regulation was discussed? You remember them -- the Pilgrims, who established a faith based community where the work of faith and life itself were indistinguishable?
- Was there an extended illness when the 1740's settlement of the west coast was led by Roman Catholic Missionaries was taught? You remember that -- the Roman Catholic missions that housed and educated the native population and established all of the oldest communities in California.
- Surely someone taught about the founding of public education was done by churches who opened their doors to children returning from long hours of labor in factories and mines.
How did public education fail the person who spoke this complaint?
I understand that someone who does not practice faith might think that Sunday morning is the only time a faith community is active. Clearly the speaker had an impression of faith communities that did not match my experience.
- But why would a church need a building if it is a Sunday-only association?
- Why not just meet in people's homes?
Clearly the CHURCH has failed in its 24/7/365 practice of faith.
I left the meeting with my blood pressure through the roof. I took the long way home -- walking briskly in the night air five blocks out of my way so I could think and pray about the situation.
God has a way of turning my reactions into responses if I can just keep my mouth closed long enough. My reactions are usually knee jerk responses in anger or defense; I should never be allowed to speak after 9 p.m. when my brain operates only in the brain stem and my reactions are reptilian . Responses are the result of trying to understand the other point of view and offering a reasoned, rational reply. Responses come from the cortex and upper brain anatomy. I cannot be reasoned or rational if I'm angry.
Through the cool night air and the brisk stride, God doused the anger with another possibility. In the middle of the second block it struck me that the church this person was talking about is doing faithful ministry -- if they are doing "something everyday," if their ministry is not just on Sunday morning, they are being the Church, the Body of Christ. If that faith community feeds the hungry, offers drink to the thirsty, welcomes the stranger, clothes the naked, visits the sick and the imprisoned (Matthew 25), they are indeed being the church.
Celebrate with this community of faith that someone is complaining that they are faithfully following Christ is providing for "one of the least of these who are members of [Christ's} family" [Matthew 25:40). This IS the work of the church.
If our building is not used 24/7/365, we are not being faithful. We are not being good stewards of the blessings God has given to us through our predecessors in the faith. We are going to do better. We need to fill our empty space with those busy going about the work of providing for the least of these. We need to find the vision and the energy to commission those among us for ministries. If the Kingdom is going to come "on earth as it is in heaven," we cannot sit around and wait for it to happen; we are called to use our hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits. Let us fill the building with God's work! Let us make busy the doors! Let us be the church to all the world.
(1) This was the overarching complaint of a number of members of the community who stuck out the entire meeting for the purpose of voicing their concern that an amendment to the village zoning ordinances regarding the definition of "Religious Use" of buildings was removed from the agenda and not discussed.
To the other concerns, I offer these responses:
Comment: Churches rent their space to outside businesses and agencies so that they can increase their coffers and make their expenses.
Response: Churches offer to share our space with agencies who are doing work that tends to "the least of these." That may include, but is never limited to, young, aged, widowed, addicted, homeless, oppressed, unemployed, under-employed, poor, disabled, sick, naked, hungry, imprisoned or newly released, mentally ill, sinners of all sorts, immigrants and other strangers, and you.
Sharing space is just that: space is offered so that those who are working toward the fulfillment of the Realm of God (see Matthew 25) can have a safe and secure place to do their work. If churches make a profit of any kind, they lose their property-tax exempt status and will incur massive expenses; churches offer space at the cost of having that space -- which is far below the market rates. Churches may recap the cost of the space, but nothing the church can do will ever re-cap the cost of building and upgrading the space; the best that can come of shared space is re-cooping the cost of heat, air conditioning, electricity, and maintenance of the space. Churches do not make a profit at anything they do.
Comment: Not for profit is tax terminology; it does not relate to the what churches are doing.
Response: Unlike other entities in our Capitalistic Economy, the goal of the church is NOT to make a profit or to stay "in business." The mission of the church is to usher in the Realm of God by offering God's extravagant welcome, unbounded hope, abundant grace, and unlimited love to all who will accept it and be transformed by the realization that they are children of God.
When this mission is completed, the churches can and should go out of "business;" but it will never be complete in my or your lifetime. It is ongoing and fueled by hope and the vision of a better world. The difference between the capitalist business (aka a "for profit") and a faith community rests on the benefactor of the activity: For-profits are fueled by the vision of benefit to the owner(s) (monetarily) while not-for-profits have a "benefit the other" driven vision. Not for profits "do it" at a loss -- always because we're not in it for the money; we're in it for the benefit of "the least of these." That's why we depend upon donations.
