Phases of life
Categories: durham
Date: 20 June 2010 14:07:13
Tears came to my eyes this morning as I saw the old man with a stick being gently led across the room to where my daughters friends mum was standing with a couple of other people I kind of knew, at the retirement do. Standing on watching were two men, one who was retiring and another who was a friend of the family who had popped in to say a few words.
I sat and watched from a distance as a couple of my friends gently led this man along, avoiding the stairs to have a bit to eat and drink. I smiled as I saw a range of people I knew gather together to celebrate not only the guy who was retiring but what he had given his life to.
This scene could have been from any retirement gathering I guess, but it is a snapshot from the communion service I attended this morning, our superintendents validatory service. For those who are part of the "Methodist Family" and might know about the recent history of the denomination the guy retiring was Neil Dixon, an instrumental figure in the compilation of the current Methodist Worship book. He even wrote an accompanying book, "Wonder, Love and Praise" 
I think the tears momentarily came to my eyes because this was a picture of how we are all just people in the end and we all share the priesthood of all believers. It was a beautiful illustration of how in the "real life" of the church status actually means nothing, we are all just people when it comes down to it. This was a picture of how church should be....a bunch of people who might have different roles to play within the body and might exercise those roles more powerfully at some times than others but are in the end just ordinary people.
I think my tears came aswell because I recognised why this form of "inherited church" is still important to me. I am passionate about engaging in mission with the majority outside in a culturally appropriate way, but I am also passionate about bringing people into an amazing community which, when it works well, is a truly beautiful picture of how life should be.