The Congress Message
Diocesan Press Service. September 3, 1963 [XIII-3]
INTRODUCTION
"The members of the Anglican Congress at Toronto having approved of the following message to the members of our Communion, ask that it may be read in all churches, with the approval of the Bishop, on a day to be fixed by him and with a suitable introduction".
"THE CHURCH THAT LIVES TO ITSELF WILL DIE BY ITSELF"
This was the warning which the Archbishop of Canterbury gave us during the Congress, and we have taken it to heart. For God has moved us by His Holy Spirit to think very hard about our vocation as Christians. Selfish ways must go.
1. God has called us to be a SERVING CHURCH.
He has redeemed us in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came among us as a servant.
We are determined to learn how to serve our neighbors outside our Church walls, and our fellow men and women of other nations and continents.
We thank God that He has made us a world-wide fellowship of many races, so that the riches and talents of one Church may meet the needs of another.
All receive from God; all are called to give to others -
We can no longer think of some Churches doing all the giving, and some doing all the receiving. We pray that our congregations may learn to give and to receive men, money and ideas, with true and sensitive Christian love.
We are sure that our Communion must find new ways to support those provinces and peoples that are in urgent need, both spiritual and material. Some of our Churches struggle to survive; others face grave emergencies; none can meet our Lord's challenge alone. This calls into question what we all spend on ourselves. This is what Christian love means, in practice. We were reminded, for example, that a new organ in a city church may mean that twelve fewer priests are trained in Asia or Latin America.
WE HAVE WELCOMED FOR SERIOUS STUDY THE PLAN PRESENTED TO US BY OUR CHURCH LEADERS CALLED "MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INTERDEPENDENCE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST".
2) God has called us to be a LISTENING CHURCH.
We have learned again at Toronto that Anglicans, like other people, have no monopoly of God's Truth. We must all listen more carefully to what He has to say to us. He speaks through the Bible, through prayer and sacrament. He speaks through men of other faiths and through those involved in this world's affairs whether or not they recognize Him.
3) God has called us to be ONE CHURCH.
Anglicans cannot live in isolation from other Christians. Some of our dioceses are now preparing to enter into unity with other Churches. In this new life we shall seek to offer them our support and our fellowship. And we intend to work far more closely with our fellow Christians of other Communions, both at home and throughout the world.
4) God has called us TO AFFIRM THE UNITY OF THE HUMAN RACE.
Segregation and other forms of discrimination are sin. We voice our deep concern and compassion for all who suffer on account of their race, colour or creed. We pledge our active support for all those who in various parts of the world are witnessing for Christ by their courageous stand against discrimination and segregation. We are ashamed that barriers of race should still persist in the life of the Church.
5) God has called us ALL, CLERGY AND LAITY TOGETHER.
Again and again in our Congress we have realized the fundamental importance of the laity as partners with the clergy in the whole work of the, Church. Our lay delegates have asked urgently for more adequate training. Our Anglican laity want to understand their Faith. They want to know how it applies to questions of poverty, politics, race, war and peace. They want to know how it applies to their every day work and leisure so that they may witness to Christ.
God is calling some of our churches to new opportunities for expansion. He calls others to patient faithfulness, others to new kinds of unity, others to endure frustration or persecution. The message of the cross is that these are blessings and burdens to be shared in love. We are passionately concerned that He shall do what He wants with us all.
"Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."
(1 Thess. 5:24 )
The Power of the Lord Christ be with you all.