Serious Implications

Such a conception of worship has serious implications for the life of the church. In the first place there is restored the unity (not the balance) of human life, in which work and worship are one; and this unity is not an individual matter. The performance of worship, and supremely of the Holy Communion, is essentially a family business; the church is a worshipping family and there can be no sacramental living unless the Christian goes forth from a community to which he belongs in worship and in life. The unity of the whole Christian church was necessarily something which had to be considered in relation to the Holy Communion. This is a question always very much on the conscience of the S.C.M. and at Conference it was made more obviously desperate when separate Holy Communion services had to be held.

Probably most of the Conference was firm in the conviction that thetre is nothing to be gained by rushing into inter-communion until all the members of the Movement can do so with a good conscience and perfect freedom. In the meantime we can only acknowledge the sinfulness of our position.