I remember when I was first getting involved in the UCA, I was puzzled and
a bit bothered by the many references to the Basis of Union (BoU) - when in
other traditions, the Bible was the reference. Then when I went to work for
the Synod, I read it and discovered why people had so much time for it.
So if you *haven't* read the BoU at some point, here it is:
https://www.victas.uca.org.au/aboutus/Documents/Basis%20of%20Union%201971%20and%201992.pdf
.
Paragraph 3 - which actually has 3 paragraphs - addresses the purpose of
the Uniting Church.
*Excerpts from the Basis of Union, Paragraph 3:*
*In Jesus Christ “God was reconciling the world to himself” (2 Corinthians
5:19 RSV)...*
*God in Christ has given to all people in the Church the Holy Spirit as a
pledge and foretaste of that coming reconciliation and renewal which is the
end in view for the whole creation. The Church’s call is to serve that
end: to be a fellowship of reconciliation, a body within which the diverse
gifts of its members are used for the building up of the whole, an
instrument through which Christ may work and bear witness to himself. [my
emphasis]*
It seems to me that if we are to be:
1. a fellowship of reconciliation – then we should aim for it to be
impossible to visit a worship service and not be warmly invited into
connection with the people and life of the congregation.
2. a body where diverse gifts build up the whole – then we should
plan our mission, witness and advocacy activities as much to build up the
body as to carry out the mission.
3. an instrument that continues the work of Christ and bears witness
to Christ – then we should work toward making it impossible to see the
Uniting Church in action without learning that it acts in the name of
Christ to bring credit to Christ.
That’s my view – which informs my thinking about how to be the mission
worker for Sydney Presbytery. I’m interested in thoughts, reactions, and
alternative perspectives.
In partnership,
Glen Powell
