Bishop Gordon Addresses Partnership Conference
Episcopal News Service. July 14, 1983 [83136]
David E. Sumner, Diocese of Southern Ohio
GENEVA, (JUNE 30) -- Since 1980, Province V has been the only American province to have a provincial-wide companion relationship with an overseas Anglican province. Eleven of the 14 dioceses of Province V are participating in a partnership relationship with dioceses in the Province of Nigeria. Each American diocese is linked with one or more dioceses of Nigeria.
While most of the American and Nigerian "Partners" have so far exchanged visits by various representatives, the Diocese of Southern Ohio and their companion Nigerian dioceses of Lagos and Ijebu held an historic consultation here June 13-23. Southern Ohio sent 16 delegates to meet with 126 delegates from the two Nigerian dioceses. Each diocese has additional "Observers" and staff. Under the theme "Friendship with Christ!", the delegations heard an array of speakers challenging the group to worldwide mission and ministry. Other meetings and discussions are designed to acquaint the Nigerians and Americans personally. The Consultation was initiated by the Rt. Rev. William G. Black, bishop of Southern Ohio.
The Rt. Rev. William Gordon, assistant bishop of Michigan, and Mrs. Janet Lewis of Indianapolis attended the Consultation as observers and representatives of Province V. Gordon, former bishop of Alaska, is chairman of the Province's Nigerian Committee. Mrs. Lewis, a laywoman, is the Province's representative to the national Committee on Companion Relationships.
Gordon said, "The meeting on neutral ground is something new and a breakthrough. In the past, somebody has always been a guest of somebody else." Lewis said, "We are looking at the possibility of doing this at a provincial level. It has never been done before, so that's the pipe dream."
As provincial representative, Gordon was one of the keynote speakers. He challenged the group to "rethink the structures" of the Anglican Communion that inhibit a total ministry by all persons.
"Let's face it; some of our structures are part of the problem," he said. "Is the Church trapped into... the push of the world that says, 'Success means more and more, larger and larger, more magnificent and more magnificent?'"
Gordon decried church structures which call for "upward moves" by clergy, and make statistics and quantifiable data the symbols of success. "Clergy feel like they need to move from one church to another in order to be successful that's really the name of the game," he observed.
"What is there in our statistics to indicate the quality of our life?" he asked participants and observers from three continents. "Let's face it, we have to have quantity in our system, in our structure, in order to survive... We need to look at how to make it less necessary to have economics in quantity in order to be the Church."
The former Alaskan bishop frequently illustrated his points with experience with Eskimos, dogsled teams, and as a pilot from his 35 years in Alaska. With only 14 churches "on highways", he frequently flew a plane to confirmations and other parish visits in isolated areas.
One illustration was being stranded on a sandbar in a river, following the crash of his airplane. Wishing to build a fire, he found sufficient wood and fuel, but had no match to start it with. He stressed that the "Church lives by mission as a fire lives by burning." Churches have buildings, clergy, and people, but for many, "That's as far as they've ever gone," he said.
"I believe that Christians are called to go out on patrol, to take some risks, to make some mistakes. Ministry is not something you are. Ministry -- the word with a capital letter -- is what you are," the Bishop stressed.
"The Church is not mission, going to church is not mission. Mission is what the Church enables the people to do who are a part of it. ...On mission, enabling ministry, making it possible for all of us to somehow be about the Lord's business... Now that to me is my vision of the Church!"