Vision Committee—What If?
About twenty parishioners accepted the Parish-wide invitation to meet with consultant Christine Reinhard on Aug. 27th for a two-hour slide presentation designed to expose us to different worship spaces: some ancient, some old and entirely reconfigured for better use in the 21st Century, and some brand new. This was an exercise to show what others have done, not what we should do—it’s way too early to discern that! But there does seem to be a growing consensus of opinion within the Parish that our buildings as they currently exist do not suit our present needs, including the need to grow. Sure, we have pew space to accommodate all sorts of growth, but (for example) those with mobility impairments have difficulty even getting to the pews…so they’ll worship elsewhere because of the barriers they encounter at St. John’s.
Start small: What if we eliminated the bats? Think bigger: What if we combined pulpit and lectern into one preaching station (called an ambo)? Or if we restructured nave, chancel and sanctuary all on one level, to remove all physical and symbolic barriers separating the people of God from His altar? Stretch your imagination: What if we even turned the interior of the church around, so that the altar was at the east, below our most beautiful art glass windows, and the main entrance and gathering space were at the west, to reflect the fact that most people are already entering from the parking lot, not from Michigan Ave.? What if we conformed the building to us and our needs, instead of conforming us and our needs to what the building can currently accommodate?
Twenty-plus years ago we—(1) moved the altar away from the wall, (2) adopted a new Prayer Book and (3) acquired a new Hymnal, all in an effort to help the Church meet the needs of the churched and to encounter and address the needs of the unchurched. What if we continue in that adaptive tradition by planning at least three generations into the future?—who knows what a reformation we might find ourselves in! Now is the time for you to involve yourself in this process: Come to as many of the meetings (Sunday, Sept. 10th at noon is the next) as you can: All meetings are open to everybody; this is not the confessional, there are no secrets here. Ask other parishioners what they think. Tell Vision Team members what you think. And keep an open mind. It is the Vision Team’s duty to discern and develop an agenda, not to impose an agenda, so work with us to make sure the eventual work plan addresses what’s most important to you. And pray over this process, folks: It’s nice to be guided by a consultant, but being guided by the Holy Spirit will be much better and essential!
Jeff Endean
Jr. Warden