Sarum Mission on Mission

Since founding Sarum Mission it has been deeply on our mind how we should proceed with the mission. Someone has suggested that we focus on the founding of the Brothers while others suggest that we talk to various Priests, Parishes, and Bishops in hope of gaining enough support to have established a Sarum Parish. While these are good ideas Sarum Mission is about more than just the Sarum Liturgies, it is also very much about the Evangelization of the world. The question is how do we bring the world to Christ and Christ to the world.

I have found the answer in a very unlikely place, or perhaps it is the most likely of places, Africa. The solution to our problem is in truth a simple and a hard one simple in plan but more difficult in how to proceed in how to actually carry it out. I am lead to believe it will require writing from scratch a catechetical guide, one which can be used both as a teachers guide as well as a textbook for the inquirer. But I should discuss this after I tell you what exactly Sarum Mission has planned.

After reading the Article 1+1=3 and discussing it among ourselves we have decided to attempt to recreate the experiment here. One drawback which we foresee is that there are no Continuing or Anglo-Catholic Parishes here and so we are left asking how we are to carry out our worship in common as well as where to find a validly ordained Priest. And again as above another drawback we foresee is a good Catechetical tool, this with the addition of our rather small numbers at the moment leaves us asking ourselves are we in over our heads?

I have challenged the brethren though asking them to consider if the apostles did not feel much the same way when they began the twelve setting out into the world "How Lord are we 12 men suppose to convert the entire world?". Yet just as the apostles we must set out, we must try and do as the Lord is calling us to do, as one Saint said "The Lord does not call us to success but only to try". And with this in mind we begin slowly yet in earnest and we begin in the most important way, in prayer for without it nothing can be done.

As there are those of you who have contacted me and I am sure some who have remained anonymous I post this here so that; 1 you might be able to use and adapt these ideas locally, and 2 to encourage you in our common mission.

Mission planting.
I will use the situation of our local community which I believe is as simple a place as any community may begin from. To expound we have nothing save a few members which meet for prayer and mutual support, we have no building, no priest, not even a deacon. We are all laymen who have found each other and share a complete love of our Lord, and wish to worship him in the tradition of Sarum translated into English.

Step 1.
Our community is meeting weekly for prayer and fellowship. Establishing a common time to meet is vital to survival of the mission, if the time keeps changing then it creates chaos and you are doomed to fail from the start.

Step 2.
Pray together, pray for each other, for the all clergy, for the success of the mission and for the conversion of the world. Also include specific conversion intentions "for my mother, for jim cooper" and so, that way the Lord might work on these individuals specifically.

Step 3.
Where as the Church in Africa is using 1+1=3 here because of our small numbers we have decided with much deliberation and prayer to use 1+2=3. That is 1 mission member will take two disciples under their care for 3 years after that time the 2 disciples will be expected to disciple 2 others. When we feel we have become large enough we will reduce the number to the African model. We do not recommend more than 2 disciples at any given time though there are certain cases where an exception must be made. I will give one example; one of our members after talking to a man was able to convince him to become a disciple, however the man being over joyed at the news and Glory of Christ insisted that his whole family must take part. The mans family is him, his wife, 2 sons 14 and 12, and 1 daughter 5. The way in which we have adapted to this is a simple one indeed, The man and his wife are to become disciples and as the Children are Children they will bring them up in the tradition which they are being taught (this is how it should be anyway).

Step 4.
Teaching. For teaching we have decided to begin with the Text of C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity as a basic introduction to Christianity. From there we have decided to examine the Articles of Orthodoxy. Things however being as they are and this mission being a new experiment we are opening ourselves up to change as need be. (we will keep you all updated)

Step 5.
Worship in common. Because we have no priest for which to experience the Sacraments of our Lord we have determined for a solution the following; 1 to create a specific Liturgy which is intended to allow us to worship in common without a priest present, 2 make arrangements with a valid Priest to make available once a month the Sacraments. Baring number 2 cannot be done travel some towns over once a month to obtain the Sacraments. When it is complete we will provide the text of the common worship.

Please contact us Sarummission@gmail.com if you have questions and would like to start your own community.