new church life: jan uary / february 201 4
assumed in a life-giving way, deeply love this church organization and carry
an abiding hope for a brighter future, as much as those advocating more
traditional approaches.
Imagine a church where:
1. We welcome and celebrate all voices, male and female, clergy and laity,
young and old, liberal and conservative
2. The modus operandi is inspiring, engaged partnership
3. Service is lovingly rendered to outside communities, large and small
4. God is acknowledged as a life-giving presence shared among His full
creation in His omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence
5. His Word serves as the matrix for the Great Conversation
Imagine, in the end, a Church where we are no longer afraid.
We can choose to live in that re-imagined future. A simple story from
this past September paints the picture. A group in our congregation became
interested in creating a Fall Country Fair. They expanded the team to include
the Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn College, and other local groups,
such as the Bryn Athyn Church, a local Boy Scout Troup, numerous vendors,
and even a local Irish Dance Team. (See photos of the dance team on page 78.)
What resulted was an event that drew more than 1,500 people on a
beautiful fall afternoon.
With that openness to each other and to change, what did we discover? A
lot of opportunity!
The Rev. Chuck Blair taught in public school in Pennsylvania and in
the Boys School of the Academy of the New Church, where he was also
the Housemaster of the boys dormitory, before entering the General
Church ministry. He was ordained in 2006 and into the second degree
in 2007. He is the Pastor of NewChurch LIVE and Chaplain of the
Cairnwood Estate. He and his wife, Keene (Smith), live in Bryn Athyn
with their four children.
[email protected].
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