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Theology of CRCW
It
recognises the Gospel where it is being lived out by people
and communities, even if they themselves do not use the name
of God. It
brings many new challenges to existing church congregations;
engaging with the local community opens us to the
possibility of seeing and hearing God from those outside the
church, particularly from those who are oppressed, and
allowing such Good News to transform and enrich our own
church communities. Church
Related Community Work sees community work as a vehicle for
affirming the Kingdom of God in human affairs. It is
not a means of increasing church membership or an attempt to
impose any set of values on people. It is of the Kingdom of
God because it is committed to justice and peace and is not
afraid of costly involvement with people. Church
Related Community Work is open to the tensions between being
the church and living in the faith of an incarnate God. It
is, therefore, a challenge to both an insular church and an
uncaring society. It is not for those who want an easy life! A Church
Related Community Worker is a community worker who enables
the church to work with its local community, rather than
someone employed by the church to work on it’s behalf or
only with church members. 'Growing Up' the mission strategy document approved by
General Assembly 1999 has 73 references to Church Related
Community Work. Within the Five Marks of Mission, two
have particular (but not exclusive) emphasis for Church
Related Community Work: to respond to human need by loving service. to seek to transform unjust structures of society.
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