Dear Church,
Over the next several weeks (perhaps consecutively) I would like to share with you Rev. Eric Law's framework of Holy Currencies as an exploration of missional ministry. Union Christian Church is a "missional" church. In other words, Union wants to make a difference in the life of the community, as well as the life of the congregation and its members. Holy Currencies arose out of Eric's research and work with congregations to be both "missional" and "sustainable" around the time of the 2008 financial crisis.
The Holy Currencies framework focuses on six currencies including 1)Time and Place, 2)Gracious Leadership, 3)Relationship, 4)Truth, 5)Wellness, and 6)Money.
While thinking and talking about these currencies, Eric would encourage always to remember:
Currents Flow
Currencies are meant to be exchanged
We are most engaged in God's missional work when we exchanging those currencies we have in abundance for those currencies that are most needed in our community and/or church. I will share a quick definition of those six holy currencies below. I see each of these currencies present in Union Christian Church (DOC). As you read through them, here are a few questions to think about along side of them. We will continue to ask these questions as we look at each of these currencies.
Where do you see this currency in Union Christian Church (DOC)?
Do we, as a congregation, have an abundance of this currency?
Do we, as a congregation, need a bit more of this currency?
Who in our congregation or community does have an abundance of this currency?
Who, in our congregation or community, could use more of this currency?
Holy Currencies from Eric Law and the Kaleidoscope Institute
Time and Place - Time of church leaders (paid and volunteer) offered to church and ministry. Properties owned by church and ministry and/or properties from which church and ministry operate.
Gracious Leadership - ability to create "gracious" environments where mutually respectful relationships and discernment of truth may be shared together by drastically different people, within and beyond the congregation.
Relationship - all of mutually respectful connections within and beyond the church, possessed by leaders and members of the congregation and its ministries
Truth - ability to hear and articulate, individually and together, inclusive and healing truth.
Wellness - being physically, socially, economically, ecologically, and spiritually healthy, individually and together in our church, ministry, neighborhood, creation and everywhere in between.
Money - anything generally accepted as a means of payment or to have a measure of value.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Alan