Truro

It is always a total joy to spend time with Tory and Elizabeth Baucum.

I am here in Fairfax, Virginia, in their new home for the first time since they moved last summer. Tory is now rector of Truro Church, a large Anglican church just outside Washington DC. The Episcopal Church in the States is a political minefield, and Truro Church is struggling with this, but Tory is a man of peace, a bridge-builder.

Listening to his story of faith and integrity, and worshipping with his Saturday evening congregation, I am filled with a sense of gratitude that I have been granted such a friend as this. We met quite by chance eighteen years ago in Little Rock Arkansas, and of such small coincidences is grace built.

Tory's sermon tonight, from Philippians 2.12-18 was a reminder of how we as the Redeemed become the Redeeming in the world, how we are to take on the responsibility for being the body of the Christ who dies to save, and how we are to cherish and value this awesome responsibility. We share in the task he gives us. It is a wonderful thing - though he has done it all, yet he gives us a share in it.

And before church, Elizabeth and I spent time talking about the value of writing, the creativity and imagination of it, the way in which the Creator God asks us to revel in being made in his image by displaying that image in the acts of our lives - the creations of our own imaginations.

Again, I am thankful for the gift of friends such as these.


(Sunday)

So by the end of the morning, I had listened to Tory preach the same sermon four times. I think numbers 1,2,3 & 4 were the ones that had the most impact on me.

Here are some thoughts from that sermon, which was all about working out our faith.


1. Tory said, you thought that when you signed up to church you signed up to stability; but actually you signed up to a journey, to dis-equilibrium and change and transformation. When you don't like the journey, the company, the venue or the menu, don't get so caught up in the problems that you lose sight of the goal - where you are going - or of the one who is leading you home.

2. Here are 5 "How to" books: How to win friends and influence your neighbours; How to Crochet; How to not look older; How to succeed in business; How to play jazz. The last is the only Christian one, because in jazz, the musician is as much played upon as playing, allowing the music to influence the person, remembering that there are no bad notes, only bad resolutions. So too in our faith: it is a co-operation with the Holy Spirit working in us, not just what we do, and though this moment may have been what seems to be a mistake, how we let God take us on from here is the real test.

3. Remember who you are and you'll know what to do. How are we to live out our faith at this post code? (My job is to worship God, his job is to grow the church, anyone?)

4. You who are redeemed are now the redeeming. You are the unblemished, the sacrifice, the means by which God brings his love to the world. The first sentence of this point was something I said to Tory over a sandwich yesterday afternoon as we talked about the passage he was preaching on; he then made it a key point in his sermon. After I had heard it the fourth time, I felt the Lord say to me really clearly -
"You said it to him; now I have said it to you FOUR times; have you heard it yet? Am I getting through?"

Also at the service was George Kovoor, principal of Trinity College Bristol, and we had lunch together afterwards. He is a remarkable man, and it was good to spend time with him. I liked him enormously. I hope to get in touch with him when I get home. He may yet be able to help us at St Catherine's with my ongoing quest for a form of evangelism that matches outreach with worship. We shall see.

A great day.

P.S. As you can see from the photo, the forecast deep snow for the weekend did not happen: thanks for the prayers re the weather!