Church,
It’s good to be back from my mini-sabbatical. I plan to share a bit more at our all church meeting this Sunday (Aug 14 from 4-6pm), so suffice it to say: my heart is full, the rest was sweet, and I’m energized to reenter life together with you!
Also, we are continuing our series on our core practices as a church: Welcoming, Listening, Gospeling, and Going (Joining). Fr. Spencer wrote about Welcoming, and Fr. Ben wrote about Listening. Today I’ll focus on Gospeling.
Gospeling is the word we chose (perhaps invented?) to describe the way we are held by the truth of the Kingdom of God: we embody and proclaim the reign of God in Christ. This rule is characterized by justice, love, and peace.
Gospeling is a way of life and also an intentional practice. To “gospel” is to announce or proclaim the good news. Announcement is a different speech act than giving answers or advice, or argument. Proclamation is shaped, and shapes us, differently than pontificating or prescriptions.
We practice Gospeling in our liturgy every Sunday with the rhythm of call and response.
You hear it in our sermons (“Today we proclaim the good news”), at Eucharist (“Behold what you are, become what you receive”), and everywhere throughout (“The word of the Lord,” “Blessed be God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” “The Lord be with you as you worship”).
Gospeling is full of invitation that empowers. It’s a summons into the Kingdom, a heralding of what’s good and right and true to rouse ones spirit to say YES to Christ.
Gospeling is what we do with each other and in the world. It takes ten thousand shapes and iterations depending on context and relationship. Sometimes it sounds like “do not be afraid,” sometimes it says, “I see you. Come down and let’s have lunch,” often it declares honor to the insignificant: “Let the little ones come to me.”
Gospeling takes the shape of death and resurrection: first Christ, now us, the redemptive arc of the universe bends towards the paschal mystery of death and resurrection.
Gospeling bears with one another in patient love, receiving oneself what one hopes to extend to another.
The movement of our Body is energized by the power of Gospeling: extending grace and truth with and for one another in a ever-committed, Spirit-empowered advocating for New Creation.
- Have you experienced Gospeling in our church?
- Can you delineate between other speech acts and Gospeling?
- What good news do you need today about the reign of Christ’s love and the abundance of security, significance, and belonging he offers?
May we continue to become a people whom Christ trusts with the authority to proclaim the good news.
May we operate in love according to the logic of Christ’s kingdom.
May we learn the ways of Gospeling for the sake of Christ and for the hope of the world.
In the love and authority of Christ,
Fr. Matt
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