Wicker Park Grace - a tiny church setting a HUGE example

Sorry it's been so long since my last blog entry, but I've been gone a lot lately. In fact, I'm writing this entry in Chicago, having just begun a 6 week sabbatical aimed at finishing up my latest book project. It's called The Way of Jesus: Reforming Christian Communities in a Post-Church Age. Right now I'm in the process of visiting and sojourning at some alternative communities that exemplify the principles I'm writing about, principles I believe will be necessary in any body of believers that doesn't want to go down with the sinking ship that is the institutional church.

Wicker Park Grace is a community started by Rev. Nanette Sawyer, a true pioneer in both theology and practice. The people she has assembled in the last 5 years are a testament to the fact that she has figured out something that very few other Christian communities have - namely, how to attract and keep young people involved in an intentional Christian ministry.

When I attended their Sacred Meal this past Sunday night, I was far and away the oldest codger in the room at 47. The arts and yoga center in which they gather was filled with 20-somethings and was alive with faith, hope, and love. And when I returned to the same rented warehouse space on Monday night for their Leadership Co-Op meeting (Wicker Park's equivalent of Elders), it was more of the same, 20-something's calling the shots, planning their next moves, being the church.

Now if you're of the "praise and worship" ilk, please don't make the mistake of assuming here that Nanette must lure these young folks in with a hot praise band with big sound and a bunch of 7-11 songs projected on the big screen. (7-11 songs are the ones with the same 7 words sung 11 times over.) The sacred celebration meal I attended was very mellow and subdued - no screens, no power points, no loud speakers or drums. Just hand-me-down chairs in a circle surrounding a tiny table with bread and wine upon it. There was an icon next to where Nanette sat that looked like something out of the 13th century, and she had a keyboard player and a guitarist who played beautiful, original jazz based progressions to which Taize-like chants were sung. This was not a hand-clapping, feet-stomping come to Jesus gathering. It was much more authentic and spirit filled.

Nanette introduced the theme of the night - atonement - and invited the gathered community to enter into this ongoing theological quagmire. She offered a handout articulating the 5 most famous atonement theories, shared a few personal stories about her church upbringing, and then turned us loose in a few small groups to hash it out. It was amazing. I hadn't seen or experienced discussion like this since my years at Princeton Seminary. These young men and women, half my age, were sharp, thoughtful, curious, and extremely open to differing viewpoints. There was no hint of debate, no attempts to convince - UN-like my Princeton days - just genuine articulations of where each person was in this sticky-wicket that is the cross and crucifixion of Jesus, along with many attempts to better understand where the others in the group were.

When Nanette called us all back together, we debriefed with the large group, again, with no movement toward consensus or agreement. And then it was on to the sacred celebration - the Lord's Supper. The transition from theological dialogue to the table was profound in that it illustrated, without anyone having to say so, that it isn't our theological views or beliefs that unite us. It is, instead, the grace and unconditional love of Jesus. And if I had to boil down all that this tiny community of believers has to teach the rest of us into just one lesson, it would be this: beliefs and theological doctrines are over-rated. The way Nanette and others in the community put it, "We don't draw boundaries or fences around our community. We don't draw lines and ask people to step over them in order to participate with us. It is our relationships with one another that keep us together. We have a center toward which and around which we are moving, but it's grace that we treasure and share."

Wow! What a lesson for the rest of us! What a challenge to those bodies of believers who rigidly cling to the conviction that it's one's 'position' on same sex marriage or abortion that matters most. Or to those churches who won't let anyone 'join' them until they say "Jesus is the only way."

I urge any of you who pass through Chicago to stop by Wicker Park Grace at 1741 N. Western Ave or just google Wicker Park Grace for more information on what this incredible collection of disciples is up to. - 4/21/09

PS - look for my next entry from San Francisco in about 5-7 days. I'll be visiting Glide Memorial Church near Union Square