Sunday, June 08, 2008

Without a Vision


We are back from morning worship which was with the congregation of another denomination today. I will reflect on that experience at another time.

Yesterday the Globe and Mail newspaper had an excellent article on the changing demand for automobiles in North America as people come to grips with rising fuel costs. Even though what seems like astronomical prices at the pumps, we are still paying just over half of what many European drivers are paying.

The piece had a helpful guide to the various developing technologies which either supplement or replace fossil fuels, including electricity. They quote Rick Waggoner, head of General Motors who admits that the decision to cease electic car development in the 1990's was a big mistake.

GM actually developed a vehicle called the EV1 which was produced and leased in California. Celebs such as Tom Hanks and Robin Williams had them and loved them. The car was developed in response to forward-thinking legislation in California which was later rescinded. When that happened the EV1's were recalled from leasees and destroyed. The folk who drove them offered to buy the cars but were refused. This story is told reasonably well in the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?

It's not easy for humans to look to the future with vision. Let's face it, many of the woes of the church in North America parallel corporations such as the Big Three auto makers who were convinced that their way of doing things would last forever. Now they are scrambling to respond to the times, as is the Christian church.

I suppose we need to pray that all our institutions whether they be political, or economic or spiritual have the humility to accept new direction. In the church we have the wonderful opportunity to respond to God's Spirit in finding our way forward. This will require courage and vision.

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