Northern Lights MCC
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Mission Values
    • Who's Who
    • History
    • 5 Year Plan
  • What We Believe
    • Bedrock Beliefs
    • LGBT People and the Bible
    • Our Denomination
  • What We Do
    • Sunday Worship
    • House Group
    • Personal and Spiritual Development
    • Pastoral Care >
      • Suicide Prevention
    • Social Action >
      • Rainbow Home
    • Social Events
  • Catch Up
    • Ordinary Corner
    • Audio Recordings >
      • Catch Up Archive
    • Video Recordings
  • Support Us
  • Find Us
  • Job Vacancies
  • Returning to In Person Worship
  • Social Media Policy

Gifted and Called 

17/7/2014

0 Comments

 
On Monday this week, The Church of England Synod voted to allow women to be considered for the role of Bishop. Other churches in the Anglican Communion have had female bishops for a while. In MCC, our first female Bishop or Elder was Reverend Freda Smith. It was my great privilege to celebrate Communion with Freda and other retired Elders at our General Conference in Chicago last year. Freda was the person who went through our denominational bylaws at General Conference in 1973, line by line, proposing amendments that would allow the inclusion of women in all roles, not only men. Whilst women were active in ministry and many were ordained, our bylaws or constitution were still written as though everyone was male. Although we work hard to be an inclusive church, there are still people who struggle with women in positions of leadership and insults aimed at our female clergy, Elders and Moderator sometimes have a sexist tone to them. It is easy to be judgemental about other denominations, but we also have to be vigilant that we don’t become complacent about prejudice and discrimination in our own setting.

One of the things that has been interesting in the media coverage about events in The Church of England is the vocabulary: phrases such as “top jobs” and being “promoted” have been used. The words “vocation” and “calling” appeared much less frequently, perhaps because they are harder to describe. For women in any situation to be barred from a specific job or position because of their gender is not acceptable. What, for me, is doubly frustrating is when women are barred from answering God’s call on their lives because of their gender. As you may know, MCC as a denomination believes in “the priesthood of all believers” – that is, every single person is gifted and called to serve God and God’s people in ministry. I passionately believe this and hope that everyone in Northern Lights MCC feels that they can find their place, if they want to be active in ministry.  There is so much for us all to gain, when, as we say in our Core Values “we are each doing what we are passionate about”. When someone is blocked from answering God’s call on their lives because of sexism, racism, disability dicrimination or homo/transphobia, that seems to be an affront to God, as well to the individual concerned. The battle against sexism within The Church of England will continue for a good while yet. The women who do become Bishops will be subject to intense scrutiny, well beyond that experienced by their male counterparts. However, the church as a whole will be strengthened by their presence and God’s work on earth will be enhanced. Praise God!

God bless

Cecilia

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Hope & Light Blog

    Follow the church on Twitter

    Archives

    December 2019
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Contact us

Submit

About us

Who We Are
What We Believe
What We Do
Whats On?


Follow, tweet and talk to us!

Worship with us Sunday 6.30pm GMT at
St. James's URC, NE1 8JF and our YouTube channel

Email: contact@northernlightsmcc.org.uk
Phone: 07770543407

Social Media Contribution Guidance

NLMCC Policies and Documents

Registered Charity Number 1093009
Website designed by Carly Steven 
Logo and branding designed by Naomi Neilson