Many of you may have read “The Power of One” by Bryce Courtney.  The title is somewhat ambiguous as it can mean the power that one possesses as an individual. This is a truth that is apparent if you note the effect the humble mosquito can have on your night’s sleep. Another meaning is the power that a group of people can have by working together in unity, working as one, to achieve a particular objective. It is this second meaning that has consequences for us as a church.

Though we acknowledge the power of the individual, the group has much more power to achieve outcomes than any person working alone. God saw the negative aspect of this unity of purpose when he confused the people at the construction site of the Tower of Balel (Gen 11.5-7).  And in a positive sense, we see God has designed the Church to be a community, working in unity with each other to achieve his goal of building up his church in strength of faith and numbers. “But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honour to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”(1 Corinthians 12.24-26)

This model of working in teams does not come naturally to us. Working in unity is a threat to many individuals. Why could this be so? It may be because many people are afraid they will lose their identity if they work in a team. They will lose their sense of self, and the personal kudos that comes from achieving something alone…”I did it my way” attitude.

But a foot functions best if it is attached to the body! (v.15). We all function best as Christians when we work together in unity as a team. As teamwork does not come easily to us we must be convinced that it is the most effective model first of all and the bible clearly teaches that is the case, then we must have the resolve to make changes to our basic way of doing things. We have to be prepared to subordinate our own desires for the desires of the team. We need to develop a sense of common-unity. We cannot do Church effectively if we all wish to be foot lose and fancy free, excuse the pun.

The power of the Church comes as we work as “one’. As Jesus prayed for us, let us also pray for our parish.. ”I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17.22-23)

Let us consider how we can work more effectively as a parish body or team and teams within the team as we seek our path into the future. – Ken Hopper (Rector)