1) The blight of urban sprawl
2) The funding of athletic arenas
3) Issue of the density of social housing
4) Issues of crime and drugs
Though there was a couple of issues were specific to Edmonton
5) Development of the Municipal Airport
6) LRT expansion and the funding of it.
But what struck me about the discussions was the importance of residency and place to the candidates and the audience. It was extremely important that the candidates lived in the community or were from the community. The reason is obvious of course, it seems to resonate that only someone who has lengthy experience in the neighbourhood can really represent the neighbourhood. They understand the challenges because they have lived through them in the same way. The reason I bring it up on the blog is that it got me to thinking about the role of a priest in the community. Does the same need for place for a politician also apply to a priest? Would the priest who would be the most effective be the one who has been in the community for a long time, who has lived through many of the same issues his or her parishioners, who understands the needs, the customs, and the rhythms of life?
There is not an obvious yes to the question as there have been many effective priests who have come from outside a community and done wonderful things. And yet I can't let go of a nagging suspicion that there is something important about localness. Do you love both the people and the place? I can't but think that this makes a difference. For me, while I was parachuted in, I have now lived in my neighbourhood awhile: seven years. My kids go to the local school; I am on the school council; I participate in things around the neighbourhood. And it is only now really that I feel that I really understand the community of which my church is a part of.
Lengthy tenure in the Anglican church however seems to be changing. Most people would say that the days of a parish priest who was in the parish for 20 or 30 years is long gone. The reason of course is the danger that with such a long tenure the parish can go stale. But do you lose something in not being local for a long time, like most of the parishioners? True incarnational living.
Your question is not actually as simple as you think. Perhaps it isn't so important that you come from the local area, as it is that once you become the parish's Priest that you reside in that neighbourhood. You pointed out that the Politician must come from the neighbourhood that he represents, but what you didn't include, was for how long must he have resided in that neighbourhood.
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