Dash of Thought May 2026

Bearing Fruit
The parable of the vine and the branches in John 15 had long accompanied me on my journey of faith, but I had never read this text in this way before – as a guideline for a missional church! At the meeting of the Council of Bishops in late April, the working group dealing with the question of fruitful congregations highlighted three guiding principles based on John 15:
 
• Cultivating a personal relationship with Christ: ⁵“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without me, you can’t do anything.” – Celebrating worship and sharing the Lord’s Supper, studying biblical texts together, discussing them, putting what we discover into practice in daily life, and learning from one another’s experiences; fasting and praying – thus, united with Christ, making room for him and his love in faith and life, and allowing ourselves to be shaped by him both personally and as a community.
• Deepening the community of believers: ¹²This is my commandment: love each other just as I have loved you. – Out of the love we receive daily from Christ, and which transforms us, being there for one another and doing good, bearing one another’s burdens, rejoicing and mourning together, thus strengthening our bond with one another and building and shaping our community with our gifts and experiences, with our strength and time. 
• Witnessing to the Gospel in our world: ¹⁶ You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you could go and produce fruit. – As people called, commissioned, and shaped by Christ, we go forth and together be salt and light in this world – a society of contrasts – “loving boldly, serving joyfully, leading courageously.”
 
I had never seen the third aspect in this context before. But it is true: our connection with Christ and with one another carries within it the wonderful promise of bearing fruit. Whoever sets out on Christ’s mission and engages with the people around them opens themselves to the power of Christ, the vine, which causes fruit to grow: justice, peace, and joy as signs of God’s new world, as Paul says.
 
This is my wish for you: that you may discover how fruit grows in the life of your parish and in your personal lives.

Bishop Stefan Zürcher


Photo: Pixabay