Rev Alistair Macrae is a sport-loving, Melbourne Demons (AFL) supporting Minister of the Word from Victoria. For the last three years Al has served in the demanding role of President of the Uniting Church in Australia. In his role he has travelled the breadth of our country visiting congregations, agencies and other expressions of the church. He has represented the church at various meetings and conferences overseas. Al has been, and is a wonderful leader and has brought his considerable passion for the gospel and discipleship to his role. Early in his term Al came and preached at Newlife, where he celebrated communion with us and afterwards was greeted by 50 'bikies' bringing gifts for our Christmas appeal. A Harley came riding into church. It was a moment!
Yesterday at Assembly, Al shared his report as the retiring President. For me, the retiring President's report is one of the most important moments in the Assembly meeting. The President has a unique perspective to offer the church. He or she sees the church like no other. They are best placed to offer a reflection on our 'spiritual pulse'. Al's report was inspiring, challenging and deeply reflective. Among many highlights, let me quote a couple of observation that Al made that struck a particular chord with me:
On Evangelism:
Mainstream churches need to be reminded that conversion, that deep reorientation, re-centering our lives to God is still fundamentally important. In churches lie ours, the religious life has sounded more like a little bit of lifestyle tinkering rather than a fundamental shift in our heart and head. That is, lives transformed by the Spirit, centered in Christ and oriented for mission.
To this I say a loud Amen! I know how easy it is for a community of faith to drift from it's missional heart; to hear and respond to Jesus' call to go and make disciples. Al's timely word has reminded me again of my responsibility to keep God's mission heart and our mission privilege constantly before the people I serve.
On the Sacraments:
I have been at baptisms where some alternative to the Apostle's Creed has been used. Why not use a contemporary creed and one that links us with the church catholic across time? I have been at celebrations of Holy Communion that at scarcely recognizable in terms of the meal at the heart of Christian faith for 2000 years. Friends, we have only got two official sacraments in our church, let's, not mess with them. Is it not hard to keep them aligned with the church ecumenical and historical; and contextual and contemporary? That's what we do every time we preach from ancient texts.
I love the phrase, 'ecumenical and historical, contextual and contemporary.' Ours is an ancient-future faith. This tension between honoring the past and embracing the future is one we must face. God is in our past, and God is certainly in our present and future.
As a church we have been blessed by Al's leadership. I am deeply thankful for it.
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