Reformed or Reforming... uhmm.

Last few Sunday mornings have had an intersting slant to them, Toni, Caroline Myself have been visiting the C of E community Church that meets at the end of the road that our daughter Sam has just moved into. The Church plant happened some 20 years ago but ran into dificulties in the early days. It is placed in the middle of a local authority housing area that is known by its justly earned dodgy reputation. A great place to be Church. But as seems usual in many of these community based C of E Churches it consists mainley of a middle class group of parishoners led by their educated vicar, who in this case is female. I have no particular axe to grind about women in ministry but the last seven or so years of female headship in this parish has produced a very feminized congregation, giving opportunity to individuals of ultra feministic persuasion to assert themselves in the running of the parish.The vicar is about to retire so it will be interesting to see what will happen during the interregnum (between rulers), maybe the Men will rise to the challenge and a balance of rule will arrive. Caroline & I have decided to observe this group of believers during the six months of our time out period. We plan to attend some Sunday gatherings and a fortnightly home group as well as try to build up some relationships among the congregation. They have agreed to this with enthusiasm despite my resevations of all things C of E. You see I dont think they ever properly reformed and are probably still under the rulership of Rome, except for the lady vicar bit. A communion service in the local community hall (thats where they meet) would help to explain. A robed up vicar officiating at the fold up table doing the magic bits, and the liturgy projected from a computer onto a large screen only modernises things rather than reforms them. Despite my resevations a lot of these folk love Jesus so although they practise their Christianity differantly we have choosen to make friends and join in occaisionally with their borderline charismatic meetings and attend their very retro home groups. Why?? well because they are lovely and genuine folk and most importantly they are missional, although I'm not sure they would have the same meaning for the word as we do.