The Presiding Bishop's book introducing herself to The Episcopal Church and the world is a wonderful resource for people and congregations involved in Total Ministry. Coming to us from being Bishop of Nevada, Katharine Jefferts Schori is very conversant with Total Ministry. She asks the hard questions:
In several places Bishop Katharine discusses the difference between being children of God and being childish. We have all been babies and children at one time. But we have also gone through those difficult teenage years and emerged as adults. What does it look, Bishop Katharine wants us to ask, if we go through that growing process as Christians, intentionally becoming adult children of God? What does relating to God our Father as adults look like? How do we grow into the full stature of Christ?
Bishop Katharine also addresses the question of the reaction to Total Ministry of seminary-trained clergy. Is Total Ministry actually a threat or is it simply perceived as such based on ignorance? Is Total Ministry after their jobs? "Our job," she says, "is to equip the saints, to provide formation, education, guidance, and support, and then get out of the way." (p.23) "Like John the Baptist, the priest's job is to point to another." (p.132)
She also highlights Total Ministry congregations as examples for us to follow. Congregations, large, small, and in-between, that succeed in living out their baptismal vows seem to have moved beyond the church building and Sunday morning worship to serving the needs of their community. The age-old question of "If your church disappeared who would notice?" has the answer of "lots of people" and not just the members of that congregation. The Baptismal Covenant moves us from belief to prayer and study, to being hands of God in the community, both locally and globally.
There is, of course, a lot more to this book of 169 pages. Total Ministry is pervasive throughout the entire book. I have highlighted just a little bit of the Total Ministry perspective Bishop Katharine provides. One final quote, an etymological fun fact to know and tell: "The role of priests is to be a visible reminder that ministry is getting out of our own way-a reminder that 'minus' and 'ministry' have the same root." (p. 152)
Delia+ Fay