The Right Rev Pamela Tankersley contributes a regular column to sPanz
Something is becoming very clear in our Presbyterian Church; buildings are a huge issue. We own an astonishing amount of property and we are still building furiously – new auditoriums and new foyers on the old church are a common sight. Many are in poor condition, in the least populated areas of New Zealand, and under-utilised. It seems they all matter deeply to us as spiritual homes and sites of significant memories.
However, in my more cynical moments, I wonder if we only exist as a church through our buildings. Is it possible that care for old buildings and planning for new ones take up so much of our energy, time and resources, that we don’t get round to doing mission with them? Of course, we know that the “church” is the gathering of the people, not the buildings where we worship, but does our absorption with the stewardship of our physical resources suggest otherwise?
I’m fascinated by how the “body language” of our church buildings conveys hospitality. How do they create opportunities for engagement and enhance our mission in the community? How do they interface with the street; how do we ensure they are user-friendly; how can they convey a message of warm welcome to all? For it is Christ’s message and mission, not ours. We remember how he welcomed into his presence the outsiders – the children, the diseased, the unholy, the lonely, and the rejected.
On the other hand, there are few other buildings in our communities that aim to be places of sanctuary, solace and inspiration. Our worship centres remind us to be still and know that God is God. Is this too part of our mission?
I want to encourage you all to consider whether we now need to sit lightly on our stones and mortar, and to ask hard questions about the legacy we are leaving. Our splendid buildings, whether old or new, will not save us.
It was a great joy to officially open a new church complex in Winton last month – for the Central Southland Presbyterian Parish. These folk have journeyed courageously over many years, agreeing to amalgamate five rural parishes and become a “ regional church” , reducing their many preaching places to only two. They’ve listened hard to the vision and hopes of the wider community and created an open-door place that is engaging and hospitable. Central Southland is a booming dairy area, and the parish is ready to catch the wave. A great blueprint for many other churches!