Back in February, Lindsay and I went to Yorkshire Dales for the weekend to celebrate our wedding anniversary (hard to believe it’s been 34 years!), and on the Sunday we went along to join the worship at the local parish church. This is a lovely old country church where we had worshipped many times before. On the way in we got chatting to a relative newcomer to the area, and he asked us where we were from. When we said Scotland, he paused for a moment, thinking hard, and then said, “Are you Episcopalians?”
It was a question that gave me much cause for thought during the service that followed. Am I an Episcopalian or am I a Presbyterian? In the course of my life and ministry I have been both. In Pakistan, we served under the local Bishop, and followed the set liturgy in our Sunday services. In Edinburgh I am a member of the local Presbytery, and, at Liberton, we have a pattern of worship which is flexible, to say the least. Over the years I have also enjoyed sharing in the worship and ministry of Roman Catholic, Methodist, Brethren, Baptist, Pentecostal and Independent churches. What does this make me?
Let me tell you about our worship experience that day in the Yorkshire Dales. We came out of the rain into a warm church where we were welcomed by a smiling man who handed us a couple of books and a notice sheet. We found our way to a pew and no one asked us to move. One of the books contained the day’s liturgy, (a set of prayers and responses which was simple and easy to follow). We sang hymns together and said the prayers together, and then listened to a very thought provoking sermon on Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. We then stood and said the Christian Creed together, and were invited to the front to share in communion along with everyone else. After a closing hymn we were offered cups of tea by several of the more regular worshippers. We left feeling loved and nourished – both physically and spiritually.
One of the real strengths of the Christian Church is that what we share far exceeds where we differ. In my experience the different ‘denominations’ that exist are simply the labels on the packaging. What really matters is what you find inside. As a church we are called to be Christ’s body on earth, meeting together to celebrate our faith, to be challenged by his word and to be strengthened by his Spirit, so that we can go out and carry on the work he has begun. As long as this is happening, our form of worship or church government is of little importance. So, if you meet a stranger walking up the path to join us for Sunday worship, please don’t ask them if they are a ‘Presbyterian’.
Much love
John