| The Center for Baptismal Living |
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| The Center for Baptismal Living |
|
Commissioning of
Daily Life Ministers
Full Time, Life Long
While the Book of Common Prayer never uses those words, once it has been pointed out, it is obvious that we are talking about a full time, life long commitment to following and serving Jesus Christ when we are Baptized. We are not asking people to accept Jesus Christ as Savior for one hour a week. Persevere means you keep after it. Continue goes forward. Proclaim, seek, serve, strive all demand a manifestation of an expressed commitment.
Ministers in our daily living
We serve Jesus Christ not only when we do "good deeds" to a stranger, a neighbor, or a family member, but also when we seek to change society to make it healthier, safer, more ethical, more just, and more peaceful. God has graced us with gifts and abilities which are called forth in our own unique places and opportunities. We are the leaven. We are the change agents and the peace makers.
Daily Life Ministry Usually Unnoticed, Unrecognized, and Unsupported
Unless your congregation is intentional about teaching, recognizing and supporting daily life ministry most people don't identify themselves as ministers. They don't recognize that they have any responsibility to minister in the workplace by being a competent worker or calling into question the quality or worthiness of a product.
At the same time congregations recognize and commission vestries, altar guild workers, choirs, Sunday School teachers and other congregational ministries. The lack of recognition of daily life ministries says 1) they don't exist or 2) they are not important - neither of which is true. Jean Haldane, writing in Alban Institute's magazine in the late 1980's, told a story of a woman who cared for an invalid family member apologizing for not being able to be involved in her parish altar guild and feeling negligent in her ministry to the parish. Jean challenged congregations to recognize these daily life ministries as being the place where the laity exercised ministry
Experience with models
While liturgical recognition of daily life ministries did not take the church in a fire storm there have been congregations which have been steadfast is supporting the baptized in their ministry in the world. Some congregations have a general recognition for all expressions of daily life ministry and some only recognize them once a year. The experience reported is that many people will participate once but then they've "done it."
Chino Valley Community Church (UCC) in Chino Valley, AZ developed a model of recognition which identified seven expressions of ministry outside of congregational ministries. Chino Valley, while identifying seven different expressions of ministry, observed them all on one day of the year.
Frequency and Particular Recognition
The Church of the Holy Trinity, Lansdale, PA, used the general framework of the seven expressions of ministry used at Chino Valley, but observed one different area on seven different weekends a year. They found seven observances a year became too frequent and doubled up three of the areas so that they have been doing four observances a year. This keeps the concept of daily life ministry present in the liturgical life of the congregation.
The particular recognitions allow people to understand the many ways in which they minister. While they may participate on one occasion because of their 9 - 5 occupation, at other occasions they participate as a minister of home and family because they are a parent and another time as a minister of the land because they are involved in environmental causes.
Annual Renewal
Just as we renew our Baptismal Vows, the concept that you participate in the commissioning annually is an important concept. The repetition is an element of formation. You are conscious of your commitment; it is not a forgotten event buried in history. The repetition says it is important.
Staff Support
A record of people who are appropriate to be commissioned in the various categories can be maintained. A week to 10 days prior to the commissioning they can be reminded that the annual commissioning is approaching a long with the list of people identified as ministers for this commissioning. This tells the people the event is planned and important. They are reminded that this is an annual event. They see that others will be participating. SAMPLE LETTER & LIST - under construction
Seven Ministry Expressions
Ministers of the Land: Caring for the soil; planting and harvesting; gardening and growing flowers and food; providing supplies and implement for those who care for the land and animals; working to sustain and preserve the environment. (examples - home gardeners, farmers, environmental activists, farm supplies, arborists, etc.)
Ministers of the Home and Family: Caring for family resources; managing the household; nurturing family members - nuclear and extended; tending relationships; providing for daily structure and sustenance. (examples - homemakers, parents, foster parents, grandparents, family members, family counselors and advisors, etc.)
Ministers of the Human Body and Spirit: Caring for the body's health and wholeness; aiding in its healing; tending to its remains when it has died; listening; comforting; counseling; visiting; offering friendship and care; nurturing spiritual expression. (examples - nurses, doctors, counselors, funeral directors, home visitors, clergy, family members, athletic trainers, physical therapists, etc.)
Ministers of Education: Teaching and nurturing human minds; challenging people to grow beyond their boundaries; learning and risking new experiences, ideas, and philosophies; recording and valuing the past; shaping the future; growing as a human being throughout childhood. (examples - students, teachers, educational administrators, consultants, mentors, coaches, etc.)
Ministers of Creativity and Construction: Creating new ideas and plans to improve the quality of life; constructing such designs and plans; bringing dreams to reality; extending human capabilities through tools, implements, technology, and machinery; extending human imagination through art, drama, music, literature; fixing things that are broken; turning raw materials into finished products. (examples - artists, construction workers, researchers, engineers, machinists, draftsmen, architects, actors, musicians, composers, metropolitan planners, etc.)
Ministers of the Provision of Goods, Services, and Resources: Providing for the needs of others through material goods; managing financial resources; helping others use their resources responsibly and efficiently; enabling the just and equitable distribution of goods and resources to provide comfort, security, and service to all people; providing acts or services that help others. (examples - secretaries, cleaners, bankers, salespersons, waiters, financial advisors, plumbers, coal miners, postal workers, housekeeping and maintenance personnel, office equipment technicians, etc.)
Ministers of Community Service: Nurturing and serving the communities in which we live; civic organization membership; enforcing the community's laws; caring and planning for its resources and development; tending to those whose needs are not met; working for reform; being a civil servant or politician; being a voice of conscience. (examples - police, judges, city managers, political activists, election workers, community boards, toll collectors, highway maintenance workers, fire department personnel, municipal sanitation workers, other civil servants, Red Cross workers, etc.)
Commissioning Calendar
January
May
October
December
Commissionings are observed at regular worship services one week during this month. The exact week varies depending on other observances.
You are invited to be commissioned in as many areas as apply in your life. You are encouraged to renew your commissioning annually.
The Liturgy for the Commissionings
A FORM OF COMMITMENT TO CHRISTIAN SERVICE IN DAILY LIFE
