4th Sunday of Missio Dei

27 February

Missio Dei 4 | Humbler (Part 2 of a 7 Part Series)

First Reading:

Exodus 34.29–35

Gospel Reading:

Luke 9.28–43a

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Notes

A humbler Church, recognising our failings and working with others to serve the common good

Humbler, because we are having face our failures, and this isn’t easy. The IICSA report has held up a very shaming mirror to the Church of England and we must with great haste move this agenda forwards and become a safe church. We also need to recognise that we are not the only Christian show in town. We need to work with our other denominations, and where appropriate with other faiths and with all people of good will. We must learn to live within our means.

Noe the contrast of the two paras in the gospel! Humility.

As part of the call for the church to be ‘simpler, humbler, bolder’, this workshop will explore what we mean when we talk of humility: who are we calling to be humbler and how is this call perceived differently by different communities? What does it mean to be humbler for different groups across communities, congregations and individuals? Can ‘humility’ be misused? What difference does it make to be ‘humbler’ rather than ‘humble’? Supporting paper: ‘Reflecting God’s Simplicity in the Church’, by Sister Gemma Simmonds, CJ, p. 7, and ‘Efficiency and Humility’, Selina Stone, p. 9