BECOMING AN INCARNATIONAL CHURCH
May 2005

The death of Pope John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict XVI has marked a major transition, not only in the Roman Catholic Church, but throughout the Christian world. While Christianity continues to grow in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the church in the West has been in a state of flux for the past fifty years. We have seen great changes among mainline churches during the past few decades and those changes will continue to occur as people develop new understandings of what it means to be a spiritual person.

During a recent Confirmation Class session, the question arose, "What does the pope do?" After listing his responsibilities as spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic church, we found that the answer is not so much what he does, but who he is, and what he represents. For this reason, the elevation of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger to the papacy has raised serious concerns among those who were hoping for a new breath of fresh air to revitalize a church that has alienated more than half of its members.

Protestant churches are also considering how they can remain viable in a postmodern world. As mainline churches continue to suffer an erosion of membership as well as a sense of direction, it is important that we begin now to address the situation locally. St. John's has been fortunate in that we have been able to sustain a stable membership with innovative programs and worship, but that may not be enough in the future. Hospitality, attracting and welcoming new members, while important, may only be cosmetic.

The Pennsylvania Southeast Conference has noted the trends among conference churches. At this year's annual meeting, June 10-11, the keynote speaker will be Anthony B. Robinson, author of the book, Transforming Congregational Culture. Robinson suggests that there must be a cultural change in congregations, that is, how persons see and understand the nature of religion and the purpose of "church."

During the next decade, St. John's will not only be facing changes in pastoral leadership, but an aging of the traditional base that has been the primary support of the congregation and which has shaped its identity. It is vital for us to understand what is happening to the church and how we can lead it into a vastly different future. In many cases we have been a "cutting-edge" congregation, making the right changes without realizing that we are close to the right path. What we need to do is to become more aware of what is taking place and what our mission ought to be, develop the long-range goals and strategies, and begin their implementation. This is not a one or two year process, but a paradigm shift that may take a generation, but it may be the only way to insure that there will be a next generation to worship at St. John's.

The United Church of Christ is an "incarnational" church. It seeks to be the embodiment of Christ in the world, to be the Christ within our community, so that the world will know Jesus by how his Spirit is represented in the lives of those who follow him. I invite you to join in these conversations and dialogues as we seek to become the church that Christ is calling us to be.

Dr. Harry L. Serio