As Israel was constantly learning, being set apart by God was less a reason for pride than of humble awe. It isn’t that God took a special people and rewarded them for their greatness. In fact Scripture is very clear that God took a “no-people” and made them into “God’s people.” (1 Peter 2:10) I note that because it is a humbling, not a prideful thing to recall that we are God’s people.
At a Presbytery meeting, take a few moments and ask elders and clergy to respond with a couple of sentences to the following question. What does it mean to say that elders or clergy are set apart by God for a special purpose? Have the clergy respond to that question about the call of elders and the elders with respect to clergy. Then have people group with people around them and share what they have written.
Then, while still in their small groups, have them prepare a group statement of what it means that their church has been called by God to be a witness in this larger world. After they have had a few moments to prepare, have a liturgist lead the gathered people in a litany in which each small group would share their statement and the whole people would respond with something like, “We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people.”
What you are doing is taking a sabbath moment for people to recall who and whose they are. It is one small step in helping the church to not be absorbed into the culture but to remember who they are.
