Pink and Blue Church

This morning I read this:

'The Church of England needs to move quickly towards ordaining women bishops because it is fast running out of men who are good enough to do the job, the General Synod was told this morning.'

The sad thing is that I meet with many men in one of my areas of ministry and one of the biggest obstacles to 'doing church' is the impression that it is a place for women and children. The good news is that when they find that it isn't they tend to get involved in a full on' way. The sad news is that for many their impression of  'Pink Church' is often borne out.

Recently I visited a place where almost everyone in the local church was female.
The clergy were women.
The Wardens were women.
The PCC secretary, Treasurer and PCC members were all women.
The organist was a woman.

Now I'm glad that they're there and keeping the flag flying [I don't have a problem with women - other than my daughter who bully me :-) ] and I'm grateful for their ministry and their commitment and fellowship . .

BUT (there's always a 'But' isn't there?)

The problem is that we do seem to be sending out the wrong message to the men out there.

We do seem to be making it sound like women are the remedy to the fact that clergy who are good enough to do the job are hard to find (Yes, I know I'm poor quality provision, I live with that reality daily)and so we are looking to them as a second best.

We do seem to be so taken up with fast track solutions and 'pushing things through' and 'making things happen' that we have forgotten about celebrating calling in those around us regardless of age, sex or football affiliation (still have my doubts about supporters of Man U, Millwall and Tottenham).

Where I find a Blue church I find the place packed with high quality men who are engaged and delivering the Christian faith in a dynamic and discipled manner. Hmmmm!

Yes - I know this will upset some out there - but talk to Ruth Gledhill of the Times (which I'd love to read online but won't pay the subscription) because she started it.

Pax