Mid-Week Missive: Made in the Image of God
As I mentioned last week, I recently picked up a new book – Community Rules: An Episcopal Manual by Ian Markham and Kathryn Glover, both administrators at Virginia Theological Seminary. There are 52 “Community Rules,” which fit nicely into a one-rule-a-week rhythm over the course of a year. So I am going to be working my way through this book in 2019, reading and writing through the lens of our Life Together* as part of the Christ the King Episcopal Church family, as well as part of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast.
Rule # 2: Remember that People are Made in the Image of God.Markham and Glover’s reflection on this rule can be found in their book, which can be purchased here.
How does this rule apply to our Life Together at Christ the King? Christ the King members and Diocesan Convention delegates Tom Huff, Richard Jacobs, Joyce Waters-Smith, and I recently participated in the 48thannual Convention of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. One of the highlight for me was that during our daily worship together (Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, and Evening Prayer), the preachers were lay people from around the diocese. And let me tell you what…they were absolutely incredible!
What was most impressive to me about each of their homilies was their authenticity – they were vulnerable, funny, honest, and willing to witness and testify to two things in particular: (1) they have experienced the transformative power and love of God in Jesus Christ, and (2) they experienced this life-changing love and community in an Episcopal parish. Each of these faithful, courageous people had a story to tell – stories of hardship, rejection, fear, and life-threatening illness. And they found a community of faith who listened to their story and welcomed them into the family. They were reminded that they are precious and beloved in God’s sight, and created in God’s very own image.
Their stories were inspiring and hopeful for all of us. Their stories were not stories of a church that is dying. Their stories were stories of resurrection, new life, and the Way of Love. My hope and prayer is that we at Christ the King can strive to see God’s image in every person who enters into our midst (as well as in those of us who are already here). The more we see God’s image in one another, the more likely we are to treat each other as beloved children of God. If we make that a priority, our Life Together as a parish family will grow deeper and wider and bear fruit for many generations to come!
* “Life Together” was the theme of our recent Diocesan Convention, and will remain as our theme as we enter into our 50thyear together as the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast.