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The Revival Has Come and Gone, Now What?

2018 February 1
by Diocesan Staff

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The Holy Spirit showed up in ways beyond our ability to prepare or arrange for the recent Revival. In the morning, the Presiding Bishop made a pilgrimage to Good Shepherd in the Pennick Community west of Brunswick to offer the gratitude of our church for the fearless faith of Deaconess Anna Alexander. Just after lunch, the Presiding Bishop gave a rousing sermon about the boundless love of God as experienced in relationship with Jesus Christ. But with the tent meeting ended, the work of revival continues.

Reviving Our Presiding Bishop
To revive means to bring back life. That is beyond the ability of any preacher, even one as gifted as Bishop Michael Curry. Reviving a person and a church is the work of the Holy Spirit. I have seen how the day in Georgia revived our Presiding Bishop. The next week, I was meeting with the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church as he preached the Eucharist and told our denomination’s Board of Directors of the life and legacy of Deaconess Alexander.

Pointing at me, he said he knew of one Christian who really lived out the love of God like Paul and the Apostles. I realized that I reminded him of the revival in Georgia when Bishop Curry said, “I am pointing at Frank, but I don’t mean Frank…of course, I don’t mean Frank.” He went on to say that he was pointing at me as we were both in a packed Good Shepherd Church where older parishioners, including a few former students of Deaconess Alexander filled the pews and youth packed the aisle all the way to the altar rail sitting on the floor. Then this past Friday, Bishop Curry preached at length again about Deaconess Alexander at Grace Episcopal Church, Charleston, for Forma, a gathering of Christian educators (Click here to watch that sermon). As several people who sent me texts and Facebook messages told me, Bishop Curry was clearly changed by his visit to Georgia.

Reviving Our Churches
Real revival is the work of the Holy Spirit and the time has not passed on God using the two liturgies from January 20 to change lives. Videos of the full liturgies at Good Shepherd and Honey Creek are online. You can also watch just the two sermons (see below). I recommend that churches of the Diocese use these resources. Gather a group of adults to watch each and discuss. You can do the same with teens or an intergenerational group. The benefit of watching via video is that this offers an opportunity to discuss the sermons after watching them. Make notes as you watch and share what jumped out for you. What is the Good News of Jesus you heard anew? How might you need to change because of the Good News you heard?

Revival 2018Having decided what stands out for you, share the video on Facebook letting people know what you heard to encourage them to watch. Something like, “I really hear the love of God in this sermon, but when Bishop Curry spoke of what the opposite of love is, it really got my attention. I have been thinking about this sermon a lot in the past week or so.” That is much more likely to catch attention and gives you something you can discuss with those who watch it thanks to your sharing the sermon on Facebook.

Making Room for the Holy Spirit
Asking a given hour and a half service of Evening Prayer to move our church may be too much to ask. But if we use the Revival as a starting point, then we can really make room for the Holy Spirit. For if we really hear the call that the opposite of love is self-centeredness, than there is much each of us can and should do to re-orient our lives outward. The Agape love of God Jesus demonstrated in caring more for others than himself is life changing. Living into that re-oriented life is the ongoing work of a lifetime. Let us know how your congregation is using the videos from the revival to share the Good News in your community.

peace,
Frank
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue, Canon to the Ordinary


Sermon – Presiding Bishop Michael Curry – Deaconess Alexander Event – Diocese of Georgia – January 20, 2018 from The Episcopal Church on Vimeo.


Sermon – Presiding Bishop Michael Curry – Diocese of Georgia Revival – Waverly, GA – January 20, 2018 from The Episcopal Church on Vimeo.

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