We are the Church.

In recent weeks, I have found myself in several conversations about some “gaps” in the Church’s teachings, especially around inclusion, belonging, and accountability. There’s a tension we feel in our team as we attempt to inspire values that the wider Church community sometimes struggles to live out. 

During one of these discussions with a very wise friend, my thoughts were met with four words:

“We are the Church.”

I had forgotten that the Church is not some distant institution or hierarchy, but rather it is us. Here and now. It is our classrooms, our friendships, and our courage to love widely as Jesus did. I don’t want to forget that again, and I don’t want you to either. 

You are your school. The spirit of your community is shaped by the way you welcome others, the way you lead them, and the way you treat the ‘least’ of them. 

You are Aotearoa. Our country becomes more compassionate, more just, and more kind because of the choices you make. 

You are the Church. Every time you act with generosity, integrity, or courage, the Church becomes more like the family Jesus calls it to be.