Pastoral retreat
Just got back yesterday evening from our weekend Pastoral retreat with many of the servants, workers and teachers (no prophets) from the French-speaking churches in Europe. I organized this year’s program and it went o.k.
The goal of this retreat was to get the churches to think about reaching out to their neighborhoods through good works. We asked everyone the question: If the church changed neighborhoods, would anyone know that you were no longer there? Would it make a difference? Then we taught and discussed the themes:
- The Catholic Church and the culture of good works;
- Becoming a neighborhood church;
- The church and the poor;
- Obstacles to good works.
I find it interesting that the Catholic heroes are St. Francis of Assisi, Theresa of Calcutta, Abbé Pierre, JP II (people known, most often, for good works)… While most Protestant heroes (Zwingli, Luther, Calvin, Graham) are theologians or teachers. I’m sure there’s a reason. But maybe we could do with some balance.
posted by Brady @ 2:57 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I never thought about that contrast between Catholic heroes and Protestant ones. If you don't mind, I'll pass on your post to our preacher. We're beginning a big push for every member of our congregation to get involved in some form of ministry.
Kind of sad that we have to have a "push" for such a thing.
Makes me want to drink a glass of ulgenkc.
Such a good point about our "heroes." Christian heroes always seem to be people of words. Catholic heroes preached the gospel all the time and used words "if necessary."
Very good observations. Faith without works . . .
I am in the process of reading a book called "The Shaping of Things to Come." It is teaching that the church should become more missional in it's approach. not foreign missions necessarily, but within our own communities. How appropriate this post is and I think extremely relevant. I too have never heard this comparison before betwen cathlics and protestants. Have to look into that some more.
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