Congregational

I am sorry to hear that pressure to create a 'new image' for the Congregational Federation is increasing. More and more people in Congregational churches are telling me that they see no point in 'rebranding' the Federation at the cost of £51,000 from the Council for World Mission. The Times has recently published details of commercial 'rebradning' schemes that failed, including the Post Officer ('Consignia') and British Airways. If I thought that rebrading would encourage more people to take an interest in the Gospel via our churches then it would be fine, but it will not. TYhe aim seems to be promotion of the Federation, which is not a church, but a religious organisation with paid official;s anxious for it to grow. That is all right, but the promotion of the local church is the task of the local church, not the Federation. I hope more and more people will realise how futile and wasteful of resources this proposal is, and speak out against it. The idea  comes from the Castle Gate 'establshment', not from any of our churches. In my view it is the thin end of a sinister wedge, in which 'say-so' is being seized by Castle Gate and a few 'in' people I wonder what the late Graham Adams, our former Gen Sec, would say? He warned us about this very tendency.I am reminded of  a book by Albert Peel, 80 years ago. In 'A brief History of English Congregationalism' he noted (p78) that in its early years the Congregational Union attempted too much for its strength and found the burden too heavy to be carried. 'In recent years the current towards the centre has been running strongly.....with every increase in central funds and in the power of organised Congregationalism there must be a corresponding increase in the vigoiur of the independent  churches, a renewed sense of the presence of Christ in the midst of his people if true Congregatiomnalism is to survive...If churches come to rely on unions for support rather than on their own efforts allied to the leading of the divine spirit, the time of decay is at hand.' Peel strongly urged the freedom of the local church, and especially for the editor of its magazine. 'If a journal is merely the mouthpiece of of the officials of the union it is likely to be thought insipid and uncritical, with its editor more or less muzzled and obliged to take the official view.'  I have ben allowed that freedom in the last ten years, and we must keep watching to make sure it continues. Ian Gregory.