An article for July editions of parish magazines, from the Archdeacon of Dudley, Nikki Groarke.
“We might aim for the moon and hit the fence, but at least our eyes are off the ground.”
This disarming comment is a quote from Trevor, one of our Mission Accompaniers, and it made me smile in its mix of idealism and pragmatism. The Bible is littered with exhortations to lift our eyes. The prophet Isaiah says.
“Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” (Is 40:26)
Psalmists write of lifting our eyes, our very souls to God:
“I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1)
“To you, Lord, I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 25:1)
“To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!” (Psalm 123:1)
It’s all about perspective, having a godly perspective on our situation, on our church life, on the challenges and opportunities before us. Trevor talked about the moon and the fence in a short video clip introducing some of the coaches we have invited to come alongside parishes in their journey towards greater health and sustainability. Watch the video here.
We’ve appointed a fabulous group of people, skilled in facilitation and mentoring, who have a passion to see churches of different shapes and sizes become all that God created them to be. They will mainly do this by encouraging us and people in our churches to lift up our eyes, life up our souls, turn our faces to the God of the universe, and seek his help, his perspective, on what might work in our context.
This is not about people telling you what to do. If you watch the video you will hear Accompaniers talk of their desire to help discern where God is already at work, by bringing a fresh pair of eyes, providing a safe space where new ideas can be explored, where we can unlock our thinking and realise our Gid-given potential. They are all hope-filled encouragers, excellent skilled listeners, folk with a heart to see churches filled with people who are worshipping God, making disciples, sharing hope and transforming their communities.
When we gathered the Mission Accompaniers from across the country for a training and orientation day, I came away so excited by the possibilities, buoyed up by their energy, full of dreams about parishes across the diocese being blessed by them with a different perspective, new hope and confidence to discover their vocation and calling, unique to each church.
Can I encourage you to explore pairing up with a Mission accompanier in your church if you have not done so already. Information about how to do so is on our website. If you have, please share how it’s going so that others catch the vision.
Lift up your eyes! Our God enthroned in the heavens will help and give us hope and a wider lens. His view of our churches is from the perspective of his kingdom – he longs us to join in with what he is doing as his kingdom comes on earth, as in heaven, through his people. As we focus on God, other things click into place. To you, Lord, we lift our souls!
