Page 39 - Presbyterian Connection
P. 39
Connection
REFLECTIONS
Better Without Power?
presbyterian.ca
SUMMER 2021
By the Rev. Steve Filyk,
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Kamloops, B.C.
Some time ago I officiated at a wed- ding in a smaller community up north. When I arrived at the church for the rehearsal, I was greeted by the parish priest who gave me the nickel tour and explained the sound system.
I was surprised to meet him. I expected that someone else would have been given this task.
But churches aren’t the pervasive and powerful institutions they once were. Yes, several communities have “big box” churches that fill up the parking lots and employ multiple staff. But most churches have dwin- dling congregations with dwindling budgets led by a pastor who does everything from leading worship to shovelling the front steps.
As we parted ways, I thanked the priest for his welcome. Feeling a lit- tle sad that he had to wait on me, I made some offhand comment about the difficulty of being clergy in a time when people aren’t interested in the church. But no sooner had I said this than he surprised me again. He replied rather plainly: “The church is better when it doesn’t have much power.”
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this comment.
Most of us like power. We culti- vate it through our employment, our volunteerism and our connections. Power makes life easier. The more power you have, the easier it is to overcome obstacles and achieve goals. The more power you have, the less consideration you need to give to others. With power you can go at your own pace, in your own direc- tion. As for unappealing tasks, the powerful can always delegate them.
But there is a downside to wield- ing power. Power has a tendency to make us overlook others and their needs. Exercising power can leave us feeling as though we’re better than our peers and justified in our cruel- ties. The Christian church hasn’t al- ways performed well when it has had lots of power. Just ask anyone who has attended a residential school.
But power doesn’t need to be ex- ercised in a way that is inconsiderate or abusive.
A very different approach is em- bodied by the church’s founder and “CEO,” Jesus Christ. Christians be- lieve that Jesus wields immeasurable power. The gospels describe Jesus’ control over nature, sickness and evil spirits. And yet despite this power Jesus consistently refuses to use it to coerce or control those around him. He treats everyone with incred- ible dignity.
This can be seen at the outset of Jesus’ public service. The gospels tell us that at the outset of Jesus’ ministry, the Devil wants to broker a deal with him. In exchange for his allegiance, the Devil promises Jesus control over all the earth’s kingdoms. Jesus tells the Devil, “No deal!” Je- sus won’t worship pretenders. And Jesus doesn’t see people as some- thing to be bargained for.
Further into his career, some of Je- sus’ own followers want to promote Jesus’ political advancement. They think the time is ripe for a revolution and want to install him on the throne, by force. Knowing their intentions, Jesus escapes the crowd and their ambitions. Once again, he shows us that he isn’t interested in making oth- ers adopt his program.
At the end of his career Jesus is arrested, falsely accused and sen- tenced to death in an illegal trial. De- spite being given an opportunity to speak, he won’t recant his claims or blame his followers. He won’t make a deal to save his own skin. When he is tortured and crucified by some Roman soldiers, he has no malice for his executioners. Jesus prays: “Father, forgive them...” (Luke 23:34 NIV)
For those who believe Jesus is God’s only Son, Jesus has im- measurable power. The Son of God
contemplated our existence. In this time of reset we need to get back to the campfire.
The best part of the Book of John for me is in the last tacked-on chap- ter, where Jesus is sitting on the beach with a campfire going in order to cook the disciples breakfast once they clue in.
In this time of Covid, I believe we will all benefit if we gather, in our own small spaces, and sit by a campfire, knowing who is also there.
Try it. You might like it! The camp- fire helps us be still.
doesn’t need to entertain accusa- tions or endure abuse. Jesus doesn’t need to win the hearts and minds of anyone. Jesus can snap his fingers and everyone will fall on their knees.
But Jesus will not compel compli- ance. Jesus will chide us and chal- lenge us but he will not coerce us. The powerful Son of God will woo and win followers by his example of loving and suffering service.
This is the approach of Jesus. And maybe it is the best approach for the church.
In an age when few people have time for organized religion, the church has lost a lot of power. Some people are mourning this loss. Some are reorganizing politically to regain some clout. This isn’t all that surpris- ing. We like power for ourselves and
for the groups we are aligned with. But I wonder if there might be something to be gained in embracing the (relatively) current disempower- ment of the church. I wonder if that priest who suggested that the church is “better without power” was a living
example of it.
That day I didn’t expect to meet
him. I expected someone else to an- swer the door. But then and there I was face-to-face with the leader of a religious community. He wasn’t there to extract anything from me or pro- mote any particular agenda. He was there to meet my needs.
Maybe the disempowerment of the church puts us in a place where, stripped of the ability to order around others, we might consider serving them.
PRESBYTERIAN
39
Going Back
to the Campfire
Letter to the Government on Gaza
In May, the Moderator, the Rev. Amanda Currie, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau following an outbreak of violence in
East Jerusalem and Gaza.
The letter condemns the use of violence and intimidation, and asks the Government of Canada to work with the international community to deescalate the conflict and advocate that international law be upheld.
To read all Letters to the Government, visit presbyterian.ca/letters.
By the Rev. Drew Jacques,
St. David’s Presbyterian Church in Campbellville, Ont.
I was listening to “The Current” on CBC Radio recently while driving. The segment was about loneliness. One of the interviewees mentioned the “unbearable silence” of these times. It struck a chord with me.
We are all challenged with the need to “fill time,” hopefully meaningfully. I, like many, try to read, listen to the radio and, of course, watch TV. I have given myself a form of carpal tunnel in my thumb from clicking through Netflix trying to find something, any- thing, to watch. Our son says Netflix would save us all a lot of time if it just added a “random” button.
I’m retired from a career in Adult and Children’s Mental Health with
CMHA and Nipissing and Temiskam- ing Children’s Aid Societies. I know a little bit about coping with loneliness, anxiety and fear from many clients over many years.
I have recently stumbled upon something I find to be quite helpful in passing the time and generating calmness: video footage of a camp- fire by a lake. My wife and I put it on every evening now, and we watch or just listen to the crackling fire as the sun sets.
You can find many campfire videos online. There is something about sit- ting by a campfire that we as Cana- dians all identify with. But I think the experience is much deeper and goes much further back in our human an- cestry.
Since the dawn of time we have sat by a campfire and peacefully
