Bishop Ward and the Rev. Greg Moore (Executive Director of New Faith Communities) talk about the annunciation to Mary and how her faithfulness to God’s will is reflected when we also walk in faithfulness by creating space for new faith communities.
BISHOP WARD: Hail favored ones. Can you hear this wonderful greeting? This is what Mary heard. This magnificent scripture from Luke Chapter 1 is used thematically in our planting of New Faith Communities and Reverend Greg Moore is our leader in that regard. Can you talk to us about this image in scripture?
GREG MOORE: Mary’s prayer drives our prayer as we discern how we might go about the work of continuing to bear the body of Christ in the world. Much of what we do in New Faith Communities is simply making space in the world for the body of Christ to be born anew and Mary leads us in that work. When Mary receives the annunciation or that good word that God will be partnering with her, for the Good News to take flesh, she receives that and offer this prayer back, “Let it be with me according to your will.”
She eventually teaches that prayer to her son, who picks it up and prays, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” So as we dream about new places for new people, we begin our prayer for work with Mother Mary and seek to partner with existing churches who would learn to pray with her, “Let it be with us according to your will” so that the ways of Christ and the body of Christ might again be born anew among us and through us.
BISHOP WARD: May we all be richly blessed in this Holy season as we follow Mary, as we follow Mary’s path toward Christmas.