“We want to be a relevant Church.”

This morning in worship, I am introducing the “Candle of Peace, Hope and Justice.” This weekly liturgy sponsored by the Methodist Federation for Social Action is a tangible, faithful way that we can respond to the crisis in our world. I felt inspired to introduce this to our new congregation because of the words that I titled this post with – “we want to be a relevant church.”

At my first meeting with my worship team, I invited them to a conversation around worship themes. What did they want to hear from the pulpit? Our conversation began with the words above. From our POV as citizens of the United States, our world is in chaos. People are afraid because of the color of their skin, because of who they love, and because of their age and gender. People of color are being silenced as they are being kidnapped to “alligator alcatraz.” People in the LGBTQIA+ community are being silenced and forced back into the confines of secrecy because of physical harm that is being done. Women and children are being silenced because of fear of abuse, physical, emotional, and sexual. (I remember reading words like this in my history books… never thought I’d write them in my writings.)

What is the role of the church in this crisis? Micah 6:6-8 comes to mind. “With what should I approach the Lord and bow down before God on high? Should I come before him with entirely burned offerings, with year-old calves? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with many torrents of oil? Should I give my oldest child for my crime; the fruit of my body for the sin of my spirit? He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires from you: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God.”

God told Israel the response needed to God’s redemption: justice – to set things right between individuals; love kindness – one’s commitment to God and others transcends the law. These two responses are only possible with the word humility in our vocabulary! Our lives as followers of Jesus Christ are transformed into the image of creator when we walk in his steps.

What is our response to God’s saving grace in Jesus as the Church today? Justice – set things right between neighbors, friends, family and church family. Loving kindness – live out the greatest commandments in all parts of our lives. AND live with humility – we need God. When we do these things, with courage, boldness, and an expectation for God to show up, we live our best lives, and become the relevant church we are called to be.