Democracy and the Church….
I am very enthusiastic about democracy. Democracy depends crucially on a constructive dialogue between different political ideas. Healthy dialogue brings the best ideas to the fore. But when dialogue breaks down or is avoided (as often happens through social media) we get polarisation and democracy is threatened.
But it is important to realise that the church is not a democracy. Jesus’s apostles were not elected but chosen by Jesus himself, after much prayerful consideration (Luke 6.12-16). Jesus remains the ultimate authority in the church, but as he no longer walks about among us, we need dialogue and voting to understand what Jesus is saying to the church today. In the church we try to foster a high quality, respectful dialogue so that the best ideas, those which Jesus himself supports, can be highlighted, and other ideas fall away. We don’t always manage that. Rather than seeking what Jesus wants, it is all too easy to want our own people or proposals to win, and this approach is often damaging to the church.
At the local level, the most important moment of voting and dialogue takes place in the Annual Parochial Church Meetings (APCMs), which traditionally take place in April. The APCM is like an Annual General Meeting for the local Church of England parish. Reports (including the Annual Report and Accounts) are presented and questions can be asked of church officers. PCC (Parochial Church Council) members are elected. This year our APCMs are:
St Michael’s Baddesley Clinton – Sunday 28th April, 4pm in St Michael’s.
St Mary’s Lapworth – Monday 15th April, 7.30pm in Lapworth Old School.
St Giles Packwood – Monday 29th April, in St Giles’.
Anyone who lives in the parish, is over 16 and baptised is entitled to be on the Electoral Roll of those who can attend and vote at the APCMs. People who habitually attend public worship in the parish can also join the Roll, even if they don’t live in the parish. It is easy to join the Electoral Roll. Please see the Parish Magazine for contact details.
I commend the APCMs to you. I am keen that they should be moments of high-quality dialogue, where the leadership of Jesus shines through, showing the church how to move forward in this most confusing age.
With prayers and best wishes, Fr Patrick