Journeying out - Ann Morisy

Triggered by the collapse of the Welfare State, local churches have swarmed into community involvement. As Rowan Williams argued forcefully in his Dimbleby Lecture, society needs the Church, and is at last begiining to realise this. By giving way to a needs-meeting-philosophy, churches increase the risk of entering a cul de sac. However, there is a different and new transformational theory of action which supports community ministry. The current understanding of our social context is dominated by the notion of social capital. This is a mixed blessing for the Churches, which are always in danger of becoming a pious Rotary Club. But, argues Ann Morisy, there is an aspect of social capital that may liberate churches and Christians.;This she terms 'brave social capital'. Brave social capital is a source of generative stories. Generative stories have the power to do their work from below, influencing the decisions we go on to make in our lives. Marketing experts now coin the term 'the experience economy', in recognition that the market for goods and commodities is now saturated. People now want to partake of transformational experiences, and the dynamic market has recently opened up. Churches must be in the business of marketing and promoting transformational experience. So what should the Churches be doing in relation to the many invitations that they now receive to become involved in community matters (Neighbourhood renewal programmes). The Churches must have confidence in their distinct contribution to the renewal and transformation of society.