The Holy Spirt and the Church - Methodist Conference day 2

"However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." Romans 8:9

 

Yesterday morning involved a debate on the "working of the Holy Spirit". As I looked at the agenda paper I was hugely excitedly - this is what the church needs, it's what I need, it's what the world needs. We had three good speakers but in all honesty not a massive amount of the Holy Spirit.

 

We were led on an exploration of ecumenism and sharing, especially with partners whose roots are in the Methodist church but now planted in new ground. It was here that my mind turned to the vital and imperative work of the Holy Spirit.

 

Plants increase in number by their seeds and roots, spreading out and starting new things, growing, covering the earth, often expanding until they come together and cover the ground in between. So I wonder, is the Holy Spirit the nutrition in the ground and the life in the rain, for without either the plants wither and die. Mark Wakelin urged us yesterday to be open to the spirit, until we have that openness, we too as the church (holy catholic and not just Methodist) wither and die.

 

As well as the Spirit as our life spring, during the conversation my mind was drawn to an idea that just won't leave me at the moment - Perichoresis. This interrelation of the divine and human in Christ and then more widely the relationship of all three parts of the trinity. The co-indwelling McGrath describes as allowing the three persons of the godhead to be maintained whilst "insisting that the three individual persons share in the life of one another".

 

As the responses came yesterday morning I wondered in what way Perichoresis should be the ideal for the church. On a good day we can manage to live alongside each other in the world, yet the Holy Spirit "insists" that we share in fully in the life of one another. The only way for this to work though is if the triune God is a full partner in our earthly Perichoresis. If we are to see the working of the Holy Spirit in our ecumenical journey together then we must be open to his transformation and intentionally include him in the relationship.

 

Come Holy Spirit, dwell in, around and through your church.

Come lord Jesus, be the centre of your church.

Come creating God, be the life source of your church.