We began as a theology discussion group for St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Ashland, Ohio. (The name TOTE originally stood for Theology On The Edge.) As time passed, we became much more of a church fellowship group than a theology discussion class, and we picked up a member or two from Grace Episcopal Church in Mansfield.
What's radical for some folks isn't so radical for us. We have no trouble, for example, accepting the idea of ordaining women, accepting gay people as fully equal members of the church, or applying modern scholarship to issues of archaeology or linguistics. On the other hand, Episcopalians have traditionally shrunk back from pushing ourselves into the community or inviting others to church*. We tend to stay inside our shells. I think that's the edgy part of TOTE for the next part of our lives together—seeking ways to do church growth.
It's certainly OK for you to come. We'll meet the second and fourth Fridays at 6:30 PM at the Relax coffee house on North Main in Mansfield.
*I've heard somewhere that the average Episcopalian invites someone to church once every 8.4 years. No word on how often the person accepts the invitation.
No comments:
Post a Comment