Rev Writes - October 5

We had a request this week from Mark Gliddon. NAC used to support Mark as a missionary. He needed some form of proof that he was a member of the Anglican Church. Do you know how we define members of the Anglican Church? Most people don’t. So you’re probably in the majority.

I’m a member of a golf club. It’s the cheapest nearby club I could find at the time I joined. I have certain obligations and responsibilities as a member and certain rights. Some of you are members of clubs and societies. If you’re a member of our Preschool ($1.00 a year!) then you have the right to vote at the annual meeting. If you’re a member of a sporting club then you have rights and responsibilities.
How do we define members of NAC? The Anglican church worldwide has always had a very loose definition of membership. If you’re an Anglican you are welcome at any Anglican church. But so is anyone else!

You can take part in our Annual Parish Meeting if you sign the declaration that you are a member of the Anglican Church of Australia, that you are baptised, that you are not less than 18 years old and that you usually attend church here and not somewhere else.

There have been debates in our synod over the decades about defining membership more precisely. So far they have been lost but I think the time is coming when we need to address this question more closely. Obviously there are good arguments for both sides.
But what about here at NAC? Should anyone who simply attends church be allowed a say in what we do? Should we have a clearer definition of membership here at NAC? Should only members be allowed certain rights and responsibilities?
Perhaps a better way to ask the question is, “What am I saying to people when I say I belong to NAC/WHAC?” Is all I’m saying is that I go there sometimes? Am I saying more than that? If so, what am I saying?

NAC is God's church. We might be Anglican and bound by the Acts and Ordinances that govern us as such. But primarily we are God's church. What does the Bible say about being a member of NAC?

We are approaching the end of our series of sermons in 1 Corinthians. Chapters 12-16 actually look at church. So it would be good to ask ourselves what God has to say about being a member of his church as we look at these chapters. He talks about every member of his church and how he has gifted them for service. He talks about true spirituality and how to build up the church and what to do when we meet and how to give money and the significance of the resurrection and the centrality of love.
It’s only a few weeks away so please read through these chapters a few times before we get to them. Ask yourself as you read what God is saying about me and my membership of his church.

Neil Macken