Dreams for the Church

http://goodinparts.blogspot.com/2005/06/dare-to-dream.html has this lovely hymn on her blog about dreams for the church.

I dream of a church that joins in with God's laughing

as she rocks in her rapture, enjoying her art:

she's glad of her world, in its risking and growing:

'tis the child she has borne and holds close to her heart.

--

I dream of a church that joins in with God's weeping

as she crouches, weighed down by the sorrow she sees:

she cries for the hostile, the cold and no-hoping,

for she bears in herself our despair and dis-ease.

--

I dream of a church that joins in with God's dancing

as she moves like the wind and the wave and the fire:

a church that can pick up its skirts, pirouetting,

with-the steps that can signal God's deepest desire.

--

I dream of a church that joins in with God's loving

as she bends to embrace the unlovely and lost,

a church that can free, by its sharing and daring,

the imprisoned and poor, and then shoulder the cost.

--

God, make us a church that joins in with your living,

as you cherish and challenge, rein in and release,

a church that is winsome, impassioned, inspiring;

lioness of your justice and lamb of your peace.

Kate Comptston

I want to dream those dreams again. I've been told often that I'm too naive about the church, that she will never become more than an oppresssive institution, but I don't want to beleive in that. I want to believe in her, expect the best from her. I want to dream that dream.