Are We Prepared to do
“The Work of the Church?”

by the Rev. Chris Chase
I was awakened the other night not by the thoughts which typically awaken a pastor, priest or minister from sleep, nor in my case was it the cry of a hungry four month old. Instead, I was awakened by a thought that first brought anger and then some fear.

This particular concern was raised by a statement one of the candidates for the office of the US Presidency had recently made – hence the anger, that candidates who were still more than a year away from an election should cause sleepless nights for lowly voters.

It was the statement by George W. Bush that he wished to see the welfare rolls continue to be reduced and the burden of care taken out of the hands of government bureaucracies and placed into the hands of those who were in the “trenches,” including religious institutions.

My gracious, I thought with eyes wide opened, what if he wins? Would St. Francis’ in Norris, Tennessee, be able to function with such an added responsibility?

I wondered what such an Episcopal Church would look like. I mean, we, like most Episcopal churches, do our perceived best by supporting a local food pantry and sending our youth off to rebuild homes in the summer. There are churches in this diocese that do much more and other churches that have to contend more than we with the reduction in welfare moneys.

But are any of us prepared to take on the responsibility of a welfare agency? Could the Diocese of East Tennessee which sits in the midst of rural poverty be able to respond?

What if he wins, and he has a congress willing to give it a shot?

I assume George W. Bush has been advised that such work was commissioned by Jesus to be the work of the Church, when Jesus stated, “Go and do likewise.” But have we, as a denomination, considered the implications of such policy, and should we not be preparing such an organization of care with or without the encouragement of candidate Bush.

The implications for evangelism and mission can not be overstated. There is not a student of world religions who does not recognize that the enormous popularity and influence of Islamic, Hindu and Christian conservative groups throughout the world is due in part to their ability to act as Mr. Bush feels a religious institution should act.

When there is an earthquake in Cairo it is the “Brotherhood” that is instrumental in providing relief; when social structures break down in India Hindu “conservatives” often fill the gap; when there is crisis in the world look for Catholic Charities or The Christian Coalition. This is not to say we do not do many good works, (Haiti) and send money, (Presiding Bishop’s Fund and ECW) but is the Episcopal church associated with having an organization to be on the ground when need arises.

While new to the Diocese of East Tennessee I am left with this question; Do we in this Diocese have the organization in place to respond to Mr. Bush or are we to allow historic precedent to continue and cede our influence to Baptist and Methodist organizations?

The Rev. Chris Chase is rector at St. Francis, Norris.