Telling Good News

 Trinity Church, c. 1910 

(the North-South intercontinental railway came in 1887; 

Trinity was built in 1894)
Photo Courtesy of The Terry Skibby Collection

Telling Good News

Fr. Tony’s Midweek Message

May 16, 2019

An old joke  runs this way:  When pioneers came West, soon there came missionaries and clergy from the churches—the Baptists came first with the earliest intrepid souls, walking or riding a horse.  Next came the Methodists, in wagon trains along with the first wave of farmers and settlers, followed by Presbyterians and Lutherans once the wagon trains were more established.  Then, last of all, came the Episcopalians, once the intercontinental railroad was established with dining cars, proper table settings, and fully stocked bars. 

We Episcopalians can indeed at times be overly insistent on our creature comforts and doing things “just right” and shy away from things that might make us the butt of jokes or turned up noses.  The truth be told, we tend to shy away from the big E—

Evangelism, or sharing the Good News of the Gospel with others.    The main reason is that we look at what some Evangelicals have done with Evangelism and feel our stomachs turn:  hard sales pitch pushing brand loyalty, engaging strangers with calls to authority and submission, browbeating and Bible-thumping, and a variety of cheesy stories telling people to turn off their brains and fall in line. 

But the fact is, we are natural evangelists, if we mean by that sharing good news:  social creatures that we are, we love telling others about weddings, births, and all the joyful things in life.  And even when it comes to sharing faith stories, we are powerful.  When the right moment comes, usually with someone we know (though random strangers sometimes are in the mix) we tend to share honestly what has given us faith and joy.  We don’t push a brand and beat up on others.  Rather, we simply tell why we believe that God is love, what in faith has brought us joy, and why we have hope that in the end, all things will be well.   Because our sharing is honest, not aimed at advancing a particular agenda or dogma, it is authentic.  And faith, authentically shared, is powerful. It attracts others.   Jesus says to us, “Come, follow me.”  When we share honestly with others, it says, “You too are beloved.  If you want what we have, know that you are always welcome to join us, and that in the degree that is suited to you where you are now.” 

Grace and Peace.