Renewed Mission

I love seeing the church and the people in it grow and change. I am a traditionalist in my heart. I love our history, theology, and ancient (and not so ancient) liturgy. At the same time, I love to see the renewal that takes place in the church, as well. The epiphany moments where someone’s faith takes a next step. The person who volunteers for the first time and then discovers a new call. The tentative question that leads to somebody finding their voice. There are many ways that the church is static. There are innumerable ways that we witness God through the Holy Spirit continuing to renew and reform the church – drawing God’s people into God’s new future. 

I have witnessed some of that recently as I have helped to launch the work groups that will create a new Oklahoma Presbytery. The three Oklahoma presbyteries nominated and approved individuals from across the state to serve on these six work groups. They are diverse groups chosen to serve because of their skill or passion in particular areas of church life. To see them meet and begin to discuss the project before them is to see the Holy Spirit at work, making connections and inspiring work group members about what could be. 

The Mission Work Group is a specific case of this dynamic. This work group will largely help to define the direction of the new presbytery. Yet as they meet, each member has their own idea of what “mission” means. And so, as the work group has gathered for the first few times, they have gone back to scripture. They found common ground and a growing common understanding as they discussed some important passages together. 

My hope is that the three presbyteries will experience something similar when they meet next month. The Mission Work Group will lead the commissioners in a bible study following the opening worship. We are even more diverse in that context, but our unity of purpose in the diversity of our beliefs is not dependent on us. It is an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit among us, and gathering around scripture should bring us even closer. 

My prayer is that we will live into this renewal and a renewed focus on the good news that is at work in this process.

Blessings, 

Rev. Tim Blodgett

General Presbyter

Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery