Resources for “What’s In a Name?”
Like individuals, congregations can manifest the identities and realities suggested by the names they bear. In the November 30 issue of Alban Weekly (“What’s In a Name?,” based on his recently published book, The Wisdom of the Seasons), Charles Olsen narrates the stories of two churches—Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Kansas City, and Trinity Lutheran Church in Mission, Kansas—to explore how a “strong Trinitarian consciousness” permeates congregations whose names and missions bear witness to their awareness of God’s presence as loving Father, risen Son, and “empowering Spirit.”
Olsen found this consciousness throughout the seasons of the church year: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Pentecost. This consciousness was expressed in worship, formation, and outreach to the community.
What resources might help you to explore the nature of your congregation’s identity: its name, its mission, and its forms of expression? In addition to the excellent resources listed at the end of the article, consider those in the “Theology” and “Practices” sections of the Congregational Resource Guide. Let me especially call your attention to Anthony Robinson’s What’s Theology Got To Do With It? as well as to Craig Dykstra’s Growing in the Life of Faith and Diana Butler Bass’s The Practicing Congregation.
What stories can you share about your congregation’s name and mission and how it informs your identity? And what resources do you suggest? We look forward to hearing from you!
I’m from Trinity United Church, Kitchener, Ontario.
One of the latest resources for theological thought and prayer in The United Church of Canada is the “Song of Faith”. It explores and states very creatively and in a contemporary mode who God is in Trinity and how God relates to us as Trinity and what that means for us as Christians.
http://www.united-church.ca/beliefs/statements/songfaith
As the new Rector of Saint Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Cobleskill NY, I have preached about our need to be more mission-minded, in the spirit of Saint Christopher, “the Christ-Carrier,” or “Christ-Bearer.” We are to carry Christ to a hurting and needy world in great need of His salvation. Our newsletter is titled, “The Christ-Bearer,” and shows an icon of St. Christopher carrying the Christ Child across a raging river.
As a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Los Osos California for the past 25 years, I have spent time personally seeking a greater understanding of the mystery of the Trinity precisely because our Church is named Trinity. Through our adult church school we’ve had great sharing and learning into the concept of the Trinity, but not on the youth or children’s level. I think that needs to be corrected.
My wife, who attended catholic schools growing up, has always remembered what one of the fathers told her about the Trinity: think of it as a three leaf clover. Of course the father was from Ireland!
We can, and should teach/share the concept/mystery of the Trinity to our children and plant a seed that will grow theologically as they grow spiritually.
I have wondered the same thing about congregations, if there is something about their name that has shaped them and continues to shape them. For example, I serve as an interim and have been at St. Paul’s Presbyterian for over three years. It’s not an ordinary Presbyterian name so I began to ask how it came about–asking members of the congregation who were old-timers and even checking with somebody who was a presbytery executive at the time–but all the response I received was that the name just happened. I have wryly observed to my colleagues that the name has had some recent relevance with the internal conflict that had visited them in the last fifteen years but now I think it is time to encourage the congregation to look to another meaning of being a church named for the apostle to the Gentiles. It’s time to wear their moniker with meaning and energy!
The thoughts are intriguing. They open even further when combined with the model for “The Threefold Art of Experiencing God” written by Christian A. Schwartz in his small book by that name.
Three persons: God/Creator, God/Jesus, God/Spirit.
Three works: Creation, Salvation, Sanctification.
Three reflections: Above us, Among us, In us.
Three spiritual paths: Principles, Motivation, Anointing.
Three addresses; You Shall, You May, You Can.
Three manifestations: Nature, History, Existence.
Three covenants: Noah, Sinai, Abraham.
Three paths to knowledge: Science, Bible, Experience
Three outlooks: Liberal, Evangelical, Charismatic.
Three dangers: Syncretism, Dogmatism, Spiritualism.
I recently worked with a congregation named Zion. They are actively seeking to discover their identity/reclaim their identity for this phase of their congregational mission.
We spent 30 minutes dwelling in 5 specific scriptural references of Zion and filling in the blank: “Zion is described in scripture as:_______.” Words such as “loved, remembered, renewed, purposed” tumbled out as the congregation board began to rediscover God’s relationship with them in scripture.
These 5 verses will form the basis for an identity discernment process for them, including among other things a 5 week sermon series exploring identity and mission.
I think the challenge becomes “place names” or “number + denominational” names. I also think that well meaning council/board members (and even congregational members), esp those from a corporate background may tend to view this as “re-branding.” The education needed on both process (how/with whom) and theology (why/from whom) is critical.
The only thing worse than an “un-lived” self-understanding is an in-authentic/artificial identity.
In the 19th century during the 80′s four Lutheran churches were started in Arkansas by German immigrants they all chose the name Zion. It is speculation on my part, but I’ve always believed that Hebrews 12:22-24 played an important part in the choosing of these names. German immigrants making a fresh start held the hope of Zion as they began anew in a land that held both promise and terror.
My speculation is in part fueld because I grew up in Suomi Zion Lutheran, now just Zion Lutheran, started by Finnish immigrants in 1891 in Fairport Harbor, Ohio again immigrants arriving in America with all the excitement of opportunity in their hearts yet fearful and in the church holding unto the familiar, the hope of their faith.