Contents Up one level Stage One Stage Two Stage Three Stage Four Stage Five Conclusions        

By John Cole

 

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STAGE TWO:

"The church is the Vicar"

In some settled communities this second stage exists quite happily alongside the first. The Vicar is the local public figure, the ‘parson’ (‘persona’) - the master of ceremonies who is wheeled in for those special occasions, happy or sad, which people want to mark in their lives.

Where a priest/minister works hard and cares for people in a loving way, people can make a shift to realising that ‘church’ may benefit them not just at the level of formal public ceremonies but also intimately, even at their bedside, in times of their greatest need.

To discover this is to recognise that ‘church’ is not just a quaint British institution but a sign of a God who loves.

It is, at least potentially, a step forward on the journey into discipleship.

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