In a Canoe Without a River
On an impulse, Chris purchased a canoe and set out to paddle the entire length of the Colorado River, a journey that he thought would take him to the river’s mouth in the Gulf of California.
Chris started high in the Rockies. He crossed man-made lakes; he negotiated whitewater; he paddled on as countless mountain streams and rivers added to the mighty Colorado. Above the Hoover Dam, Chris found the river both exciting and challenging.
Below the Dam, the Colorado meanders through the US desert southwest. Chris continued paddling. However, mighty Colorado no longer flows into the Gulf of California. Miles from his destination, Chris found himself in a canoe without a river. Chris finished his journey through the Sonoran Desert on foot. He carried the canoe when it could no longer carry him.
The true story of Chris McCandless is told in the book “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer. His story is also a metaphor for today’s church.
Early in the 20th century, we negotiated two world wars, the roaring 20’s and the Great Depression. These were whitewater experiences and the church became quite skilled at navigating the canyons, avoiding the boulders and keeping the canoe upright. By the middle of the century, the UCC came into being, a church forged out of these experiences.
With strong outreach at home and abroad we came to be identified with the downtrodden, the alienated and the marginalized. We became a denomination known for its commitment to Social Justice. The UCC provided energy, nurture and faith for millions of Americans. The church provided spiritual energy in the same way the Colorado gave us electricity.
During the last third of the century the “church-as-we-knew-it” did not hesitate to engage the culture, diverting a great deal of energy, people and resources for ministries of compassion, racial justice and peacemaking.
We all assumed “church-as-we-knew-it” would continue for as long as any of us could imagine. We began thinking this was the way church would always be.
We didn’t notice the world changing all around us. Oblivious to the decline in members and resources we continued relying on the tried and true to carry us on. Canoes are great for traveling on water, not so much on desert sand.
Many faithful and devout church members are beginning to wonder if “church-as-we-knew-it” in the 20th century is the best way to be church in the 21st. They ask whether deep and profound cultural change renders “church-as-we-knew-it” powerless and ineffective.
Some believe we are already there. They say that “church-as-we-knew-it” is like Chris’s canoe without a river. It was the right thing for years past, but may be the wrong thing for the years ahead.
I am among those who are convinced that the church of the future will be dramatically different than “church-as-we-knew-it.” I don’t have any better idea than any of you about what tomorrow’s church will be with any detail. But I am confident that God is continuing to call us to compassion, justice and peacemaking.
Just as Chris did not abandon his canoe, we must not abandon the core mission of “church-as-we-knew-it.” But, there may be other things that need to be jettisoned; they’ll be too much to carry or drag; they’ll prevent us from moving on.
We are already seeing this in churches around the UCC. A lot of changes taking place and some are finding it unsettling. The tried and true no longer works. Old and familiar patterns have been disrupted. For some, the changes raise fears and anxieties. Some see only the negative and experience deep and profound grief. It feels like the church is letting them down. We must not ignore or abandon those who feel this way. Above all else, we must assure them that the church will never let them down – even if we grieve some of the changes.
At the same time, we have seen a renewed interest and involvement of children, youth, young families and the young at heart. We see an increase of enthusiasm and vitality in many of our churches. Many among us welcome and celebrate these changes. There is a willingness to reach out to those whose spiritual needs traditional Christianity has failed to meet.
Maybe, just maybe, these changes reflect a deeper reality. We are beginning to adapt to the realities of a dramatically changed culture. We have started to recognize the need to continue the journey, carrying with us the best of “church-as-we-knew-it” while letting go of the ideas, attitudes and traditions that hold us back. We are picking up our canoe and stepping out into the desert with confidence that God continues to lead.
D Gene Kraus 