7
through congregational life and
worship, theological education,
and a deep and nourishing life of
the spirit.
Mark 3 prods us to recognize human
suffering and do something about
it – feed the hungry, give drink to
the thirsty, house the homeless,
clothe the naked, visit and liberate
the prisoner, and welcome the
stranger. This is both the hands-on
work of mercy and the reflective
work of repentance and amendment of our common life toward
greater justice.
Mark 4 sends us out to do justice
wherever we can, through changing systems and structures that
perpetuate unjust and undignified
treatment of other human beings,
through peacemaking and reconciliation, through basic citizenship
education. When Jesus said,
“Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s,”
he also invited us to be “wise as
serpents and innocent as doves” in
seeking justice.
Mark 5 is the gardening work we
share – tending the earth and
all its resources, living and not.
Together, creation is a gift for us
all, to be carefully stewarded not
only for the living, but for generations yet to come. This is at least
part of what Jesus meant when he
told his friends to travel light and
depend on the hospitality of those
they met – and not to trust in ever
bigger barns.
The mission work supported by
churchwide resources and structures exists to connect, empower,
support, and motivate Episcopalians in all our varied local contexts
to engage God’s dream for a healed
world. This report is a slice in time
that offers a broad and particular
glimpse of what the Missionary
Society is up to. You may discover
new opportunities here or dream
up new possibilities! We hope you
will share those discoveries and
dreams with us all.