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The Bishop's Journal
January 2001
Serving the Common Good
Last month I had occasion to participate in a celebration honouring Jane Brewer, the now retired mayor of Cambridge, Ontario. In the paper issue of The Eastern Synod Lutheran you will find Pastor Neil Thomsen's report on this very happy civic event.
It was a wonderful
gathering. Speaker after speaker from the community and various
expressions of government rose to thank Jane for her tireless and
committed work on behalf of the community and its citizens. As a citizen
who values the work and commitment of public servants, I was deeply
thankful. As a Lutheran who appreciates the contributions made in our
community by all people of faith, I was extremely proud!
On the way home from Jane's reception I began to mentally check off the
names of other members of our synod who serve the wider community as
elected officials. I thought of Michael Baker, a member of Zion,
Lunenburg, NS, who serves as the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice
for the province of Nova Scotia. In late November, Michael attended his
first meeting as a newly elected member of the Board of Governors of
Waterloo Lutheran Seminary.
I thought of Ken Seiling, Chairperson of the Regional Municipality of
Waterloo, who was just re-elected to serve for a sixth term in office. On
Sunday mornings you'll find Ken sitting at the organ console of St. James,
Elmira, ON, where he has served as organist and choir director for many
years.
I thought of John Rowswell, of Zion, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, who was
recently elected to his first term as mayor of that city. I thought of
Delton Becker from St. John, Elmwood, ON who was just elected as mayor of
West Grey; and of Robert White and Al Grein from St. Matthew, Hanover, ON
who serve their town, respectively, as mayor and town councillor. I
thought of Herb Zinck from Zion, Lunenburg, NS and Aubrey Silver of St.
Andrew, West Northfield, NS, who serve as municipal councillors in their
communities.
And these are just the persons I could think of who are presently serving
in public life! I also remembered Lloyd Crouse, a former Lieutenant
Governor of Nova Scotia; Edith MacIntosh, former Mayor of Kitchener,
Reuben Baetz, former Ontario Cabinet minister; and long-time member of
parliament, Walter Dinsdale - the list could go on and on!
The fall of 2000 will be remembered by many as being a season of electoral
overload. Indeed, some of us feel as if we have been campaigned "nigh
unto death!" A federal election campaign; municipal elections; and
didn't I read somewhere that the folks living down south of us had an
election also in November?
There was a lot of political talk. A lot of ink was spilt describing our
political leaders to us. A lot of television and radio air time was
expended in an apparent attempt to enlighten those of us who comprise the
general electorate. And while some of what I read, heard or saw was
helpful - even enlightening - a lot of it wasn't. Too much of it was
coloured by a kind of cavalier and dismissive tone of cynicism which, in
my opinion, serves only to undermine and weaken our collective sense of
the public good when left unchecked.
Lutheran social teaching has traditionally maintained that government is
divinely instituted and serves as a means by which God establishes and
sustains fellowship and justice within our communities. Government serves
as one of the means through which God's continued re-creation of the world
is enacted.
As such, we need to remember that those who offer themselves for public
life serve a high and noble calling. They are worthy of our respect and
thanks, even when we might disagree with the decisions that they make in
their attempts to serve the general welfare of the total citizenry.
Sure it's OK, and sometimes necessary, for citizens to resist or oppose
particular policies that governments enact. Sure there's room for
disagreement and rigourous debate within the court of public opinion. But
such debate needs to take place within a context of mutual respect that
honours the significant role that is played by public institutions and by
those who direct and serve within those institutions.
Next time you have occasion to bump into an elected official at a
community function, at city hall, (or at church!) take a moment to say
"thank you". Say another word of thanks to all of those who
participated in this most recent round of elections by offering to stand
as candidates. Take a moment to say thanks to those who serve the common
good through their work on behalf of us all through the institutions of
municipal, provincial and federal government.
A simple word of thanks. It'll do them good to hear it. But more
importantly, it will do us good to say it!
The Rev. Michael J. Pryse,
Bishop
