Feeling a Whole Lot Better

On Sunday, February 21, I was feeling a bit under the weather, but was eager to hear The Very Rev. Samuel T. Lloyd III, Dean of the Washington National Cathedral, both preach and lead the forum. Boy, am I glad I got myself to church: at 10:30 in Coburn Hall there was a standing-room-only crowd for Dean Lloyd's presentation, "Signposts for a 21st Century Church." His theme was an ideal fit for our bicentennial, an incisive and inspiring invitation to congregational transformation and renewal for Episcopal parishes.

Dean Lloyd began by recalling St. James’ long history of notable leadership in the diocese and in the Episcopal Church and by noting how St. James’ both embodies continuity and also embraces innovation. And yet, he continued, even as the Anglican Communion is now the third-largest body of Christians in the world after the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox churches(!), the so-called “mainline” Protestant denominations continue to lose membership in the United States, because, he suggested, they have been reluctant to reinvent how they “do church.” He drew our attention to a two-sided handout that clearly and neatly summarized his points. First, he described the ideals and characteristics of “established” congregations: comfortable and cozy, but more dedicated to inward-facing self-maintenance than to spreading the Good News. He contrasted that twentieth-century model with the “intentional” congregation of the twenty-first century, which faces outward into the world on a dynamic pilgrim journey dedicated to Christian formation and living out God’s love. Congregations that offer an authentic experience of the Christian life are congregations that thrive with new members drawn by their vibrancy. Dean Lloyd outlined how this transformation could be accomplished with “ten shifts,” for example “from open doors to hospitality to the stranger,” “from pew rent to sacrificial giving,” and “from attending church to adoration.”

Dean Lloyd’s message was enthusiastically received: in looking forward to its next two hundred years, St. James’ has already embarked on some of these shifts, while others remain opportunities for future growth. As I tucked Dean Lloyd’s handout into my bag as food for more thought, I realized that thanks to hot tea, good fellowship, and a provocative invitation to consider how I could help St. James’ become a church for the 21st century and beyond, I was feeling totally energized, and a whole lot better.

--Sarah Cunningham, Vestry Member