Toward a mission orientation in an Anglican congregation

The majority of St. Patrick's parishioners were born before the Baby Boom began in 1947. Disappointment was expressed that ‘the church’ did not do more to attract young people. Discussions began about St. Patrick's becoming more apostolic. Parishioners were aware of the Great Commission to go and “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you”.1 An appealing ‘mission field’ was people who are not part of a church community but are in the same age group as children and grandchildren of members of St. Patrick's. Before parishioners, born before 1947, could be responsive to the Great Commission of Jesus, they needed to know younger people who are outside the church. They also needed to know more about attitudes toward mission of regularly worshipping parishioners. This study is not about faith sharing or church growth. Eleven members of St. Patrick's Church became listeners in order to get to know a younger person who has little relation with a church. The interviewing tool was based on the writings of Clifford Geertz, who suggested getting to know people of different cultures by analyzing some of their cultural systems. The researcher explored how getting to know an unchurched person might contribute to an orientation to mission in the church participants. After learning listening and interviewing skills, church participants, born prior to 1947, interviewed each other. The data collected through the interviews, and from discussions in the training workshops, was used to create a thick description of regular worshippers at St. Patrick's. The history and thick description of St. Patrick's congregation, was named experience . The interviewers used the same tool to talk to someone who has not worshipped in a church for a year or more, other than attending a funeral or wedding, and who was born after 1947. From the data, a thick description was made of the culture of younger people who are not associated with a church. These findings were named culture. How an attitude to mission has evolved in the Anglican church offered some insights into understanding the roots of reticence about sharing faith. For many Anglicans the mission of the church is regarded As facilitating privatized worship in a congregation, as much as spreading the Good News to people who are outside a worshipping community. Anglican mission history and a few biblical texts were considered to form what this study calls tradition. The voices of tradition, experience and culture were brought into conversation in an attempt to help participants understand what God is saying about the mission of St. Patrick's today. This study suggests that younger people who have not had a continuous association with a church, are either not aware of spiritual needs, or don't look to Anglican churches to help them encounter God. Young people must be convinced that worshipping God is of benefit to them. Other ways to spend time are more attractive to younger people than worshipping God in an Anglican community. 1All Biblical references are from The Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1989). Matthew 29:19–20.