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Church Life
Questions Concerning Church Collections (3)
G Van Rongen - published in Una Sancta Volume 50, Number 11, 5 April 2003
More about this topic
Since writing the first two instalments of this article, a few things have happened, that seem to me to be worthwhile mentioning in another instalment.
In the first place I discovered some more material that indicate our church collections had their origin in the common meals practiced in the ancient Christian church, and which included the celebration of the Lord's Supper.
It is surprising that we are even reminded of this in one of our current liturgical forms.
The other reason for writing a little more on our subject is that the very questions dealt with in our previous instalment, are currently under discussion in our Dutch sister churches.
Therefore it is worthwhile taking note of what is said and done over there.
Ancient church
We have already mentioned the care for the needy as exercised in the love-meal, which was still maintained at the end of the first century or the beginning of the second century, and which was mentioned in the Didachè or The Teachings of the Twelve Apostles. At approximately the same time Ignatius, bishop of Antioch in Syria, wrote a number of letters, when as a prisoner he was transported to Rome, where, in the early stages of the second century, he would be killed in an amphitheatre. In his letter to the Trallians he wrote:
Furthermore it is necessary that those who are deacons of the "mysteries" of Jesus Christ please everyone in every respect. For they are not merely "deacons" of food and drink, but ministers of God's church.
Calling them "deacons" of food and drink Ignatius emphasises that their work is of a charitable character.
It is remarkable that he states as well that the deacons not only have to deal with material things, but must do their work in the wider context of a spiritual ministry. We can still hear this whenever the current Form for the Ordination of Deacons is read, because it says: They are called to encourage and comfort with the Word of God those who receive the gifts of God in love. The ancient lesson still sounds through!
To the Christians at Smyrna Ignatius wrote:
It is not permissible either to baptize or to hold a love feast without the bishop.
Ignatius made a strong effort to create order in church life, emphasising the office of the bishop. In this respect he went too far, but from the sentence quoted we can learn that in his days and in congregations such as Smyrna the agapè was still maintained.
Another 'apostolic father' was Justinus Martyr, living in the first half of the second century.
He is known as a skilled defender of the Christian faith. He wrote two "apologies", called respectively the Larger and the Smaller Apology. In the former we read the following sentences about the worship services of his own days:
Then we arise all together and send up prayers, and, as we said earlier, when we have concluded our prayer, bread is brought in and wine and water, and the leader likewise offers up prayers and thanksgiving to the best of his ability, the people responding with "Amen". Then the distribution to and participation by all of the elements of the eucharist takes place. To those who are not present they are sent by the deacons. Each of those who are well off and willing, gives what he wants to give after his own choice. What has been collected is deposited with the leader, and he gives aid to orphans and widows, and such as are in want due to sickness or whatever cause, to those who have been imprisoned, and to strangers from abroad. In fact to all who are in need he is their carer.
Here we find the same context in which in the ancient church collections were held, that of the Lord's Supper. These collections were for the needy, this term having a broad sense in those days of persecution: some believers were put into prison for faith's sake, others had to flee and wander as strangers for the same reason.
If we want to have the reputation of a community characterised by charity, we must return to the image that the ancient Christian church had in the world of those days: a community full of charity. Even its worship services testified to this, and it needs to be the same again!
Our current ordination form
Finally, as far as the historical origin of the collections is concerned, I was surprised when I read once again the current Form for the Ordination of Deacons. It includes the following sentence about the duties of the deacons:
They shall promote with word and deed the unity and fellowship in the Holy Spirit which the congregation enjoys in the table of the Lord.
I have never been so acutely aware of it, but here a relationship is set between the work of the deacons and the celebration of the Lord's Supper. The reason may be that for the last few years I have not witnessed the ordination of deacons very often, and whenever I did, it did not strike me what was really said in this sentence. However, now being occupied with that relationship, I am surprised.
After some research work I realised that these words were not found in the 1979 edition of our Book of Praise, but that they have been included in the Revised Edition of 1984, and adopted by our 1987 synod. That they have been added is the result of our Canadian/American sister churches and our own churches following the example of the Dutch churches. The latter added similar words to the Form at their General Synod of Heemse 1984/85.
It is a pity that the original Dutch text has not been translated more literally. In that case we would read that the deacons
shall, with word and deed, do their best, that also in this respect the fellowship which the Holy Spirit works in the congregation, and causes to be enjoyed in the Lord's Supper, becomes visible. In this way we will increase in love for one another and for all men.
Here the historical relationship between the Lord's Supper and the care for the needy is clearly expressed.
We can even find here a hidden reminder that the Lord's Supper still has the character of a love-meal. Perhaps it would be going too far to hear in these words a defence of the tradition of having bowls or plates on the Table.
Anyhow, it may be worthwhile to pay some extra attention to these sentences!
Same questions
The other day I received the latest issue of Dienst, the magazine of the elders and deacons in our Dutch sister churches. It mentioned a number of meetings arranged for the deacons particularly, during which the theme of Deaconry and Worship Service (Diaconaat en Eredienst) would be discussed, with the help of a paper, entitled The ministry of giving of deacons and congregation ("Gavendienst van diaconie en gemeente"). At the same time it announced that in the next issue of Dienst Rev. T. Dijkema of Zoetermeer would publish an article regarding the collection held during the celebration of the Lord's Supper ("de avondmaalscollecte").
A pleasant contact with a recently created central informative address of the deacons in our Dutch sister churches, and with the above mentioned minister/author, resulted in the reception of both documents. We will pass on some of this first-hand information, but must leave this until the next issue of our magazine, because otherwise this instalment will be too long - and I am among those who don't like long articles.
Food for thought
When we try to oversee what has been discussed in this series, we must reach the conclusion that it is always useful to ask the question: What is the real sense of our traditions? For we can so easily follow these traditions without giving any thought to the question: Are they really correct?
And finally: We should never forget: Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda est; there is always room and reason for further reformation in a Reformed church.
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