|
|
 |
1.
Introduction |
|
11.
Vestments |
|
|
2.
Work |
|
12.
Continued formation |
|
|
3.
Being part of the One Church |
|
13.
Holy Orders |
|
|
4.
Working in the community |
|
14.
Membership of the Order |
|
|
5.
Liturgy |
|
15.
Overseas Provinces |
|
|
6.
Prayer |
|
16.
Resignation from the Order |
|
|
7.
The Bible |
|
17. |
|
|
8.
The place of ‘the traditions of the church’. |
|
18. |
|
|
9.
Language usage |
|
19. |
|
|
10.
Authority within the Order |
|
20. |
Work.
1)
The outward work of the Order is four fold:
i.
- to faithfully and effectively plant and/or bring to fruition the
Gospel of Christ, wherever it is needed,
ii.
- to be ‘on call’ to minister to the need of any person in
need, regardless of their faith background or social circumstances,
iii.
- to be ‘on call’ to work supportively with individuals,
churches, Christian group and the local community, where ever needed
and when ever needed,
iv.
- to be ‘on call’ to attend accidents and be present at
emergencies and scenes of disaster when ever possible.
This
is fairly straight forward and needs little further explanation.
2)
As part of the enabling process within its own community, the work
of the Order is to help discover and fulfil whatever ministry God has
laid upon each individual member. Every person has a unique purpose,
ministry and gifting given in trust by God for the benefit of all.
This individual journey of discovery is not a journey to be made in
solitude but is a shared and supported journey. It is therefore a
community obligation, or if you like, a duty of loving, prayerful
discernment and supportive care by the community towards each member.
3)
Individual ministry is not just a matter for the individual. If
ministry fails it damages the whole body of Christ and everyone
suffers in some respect for this. Therefore each individual has an
obligation to every member of the community, and likewise, the
community has an equal obligation to each individual member. The
Order is only as strong as its weakest member, but in the true irony
of the Holy Spirit, it is in the weakest, youngest or least
experienced member that the Order’s strength may often be found.
4)
This duty of care towards the community and each member is not an
easy or optional burden.
5)
There is a simple legal maxim – either one upholds the law or
one breaks it, there is no middle ground. This principle of ‘no
middle ground’ can be applied in many other contexts but one
especially within the Order. Each action, word or thought towards
another is either an act of love or it is an act of division and
exclusion. There is no middle ground or room for being passive and we
shall be judged accordingly.
6)
As the Order has an obligation of care for each individual member,
so it has an obligation of care for its members as a whole.
7)
The Order is a single body and each member within has both a common
purpose and an individual and unique ministry. Both are interrelated
and the spiritual health of the Order and that of each member is
closely linked. One affects the other.
8)
It is important that each member keeps in mind the common purpose of
the Order for there is strength and security in this unity. This
common purpose is to serve Christ and His people in the community,
wherever, whenever and in whatever manner Christ calls, for in
serving Christ, we serve others and in serving others we serve Christ.
9)
Our attitude should be to serve each person as if that person was
Christ himself. We should look for Christ in everyone we meet. It is
also our hope by the grace of God that when people see us they should
see Christ in all we do, in every action, in word and thought. This
is the real Gospel we preach, a gospel which truly has the life and
power of Christ threaded through it and is found in every breath we breathe.
10)
Our attitude in all things should be one of humility for we are
redeemed by the grace of God. Our thoughts, actions and words to
others should be as if they were to God himself.
11)
We should remember our place, put others before our selves, listen
rather than speak and do all willingly and unconditionally, whatever
the personal cost to ourselves in the service of God.
12)
God gave of Himself that we who were destined to be eternally
separated from his love through sin may stand without fear in his
presence and call him ‘Father’. That very same grace and
undeserved favour shall be extended to others freely and without
condition or judgement. If we judge others, we usurp the power of God
and we in turn shall be judged doubly.
13)
For each member of the Order, faith and action go hand in hand.
Faith without action is worthless for faith calls each of us to
action, however small or great that action might seem. We will do
well to remember that it is often the case that the least or smallest
of actions can have greatest importance and significance.
14)
The examples given in the parable of the Good Samaritan and the
washing of the disciples’ feet by Our Lord are in essence the
scriptural basis on which the Order was founded – principles of
service and humility. Following the pattern of ministry exemplified
by our Lord, where need is perceived, members should deal with it
quickly lest the opportunity (or at worst a soul) be lost.
15)
All members of the Order are expected to support or make provision
for them selves financially so they are not a burden to others. God
is faithful to meet all of our needs providing we are faithful in
serving Him in all things and in discerning His will for us as individuals.
16)
Just as God is both generous and gracious to us, so we ought to be
charitable to others in freely giving of our time, gifts and resources.
17)
We need to remember that all we have and are come from God, our
Father, and all these things are given to us in trust and loving
obedience to glorify Him. They are not solely for our own personal
enjoyment and we shall be called to give an account of the way we
have administered God’s gifts to God Himself as well as the poor
and needy.
18)
As part of this grace, every member of the Order has an obligation
of love to meet the needs of all who ask for help in whatever form it
may take, whether a word or gesture of kindness or encouragement, the
giving of their time, expertise, friendship, financial support,
advocacy, presence, but mostly in the bringing of the presence of God
to wherever it is needed.
|
