Mainline Summer, by Frank Logue

This summer, the Holy Spirit has been moving in and around the old mainline Christian denominations. During conventions of the United Methodist, Presbyterian, and Episcopal churches Twitter.com feeds for #dreamUMC, #dreamPCUSA, #acts8 and others such as #dreamCCDOC and #dreamUCC have talked about a new way of being the church. Each movement has grown out of unique circumstances and will result in different responses in different places, but it is hard not to notice what God is doing this summer.

What is holding us back from taking action within our denominations? What can we begin to do to incarnate the change we wish to see without the denominations’ formal backing? How might we be increasingly faithful to the Gospel?

One thought on “Mainline Summer, by Frank Logue”

  1. Form a lay (or both clergy and lay) organization so that people can feel they are part of some movement bigger than themselves. (“Movement” being an important word there, IMO.)

    Some time ago, I asked a member of the SCP (Society of Catholic Priests) if there were a lay organization of the same type; he said no, and suggested that I become an associate of a religious order (I already am that).

    So, I suggest that one possibility would be to create an organized group along the lines of the SCP or the CBS (Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament). But those are specifically “Catholic” – and something like the “Daughters of the King” is specifically women. There should be something for everybody – I can think of many people I’ve come across online who might be interested, and some IRL too – and Acts 8 is a pretty good basis for it, I’d think. It’s broad-based (wouldn’t be specifically Catholic or women or whatever) – and of course the Book of Acts in itself has lots of really interesting characters for people to enjoy and hopefully identify with. 😉

    Perhaps it could be an organization dedicated to study, prayer, discussion, and/or whatever else you think reasonable. But something that doesn’t come from one of the “historical” wings of the church; it should be a spiritual movement for everybody.

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