Skip to main content

Building church...


What is involved in building church?
I was privileged to join a church's midweek service -"MORE"- where some 15 people met for worship, bible study, group discussion, fellowship, prayer and holy communion - ie 'more' and indepth than Sunday, I guess...
There is no church building so they meet in a community centre; young, old, different nationalities, social backgrounds and varying abilities - together as one in Christ...
We explred the idea of "Living stones" -
Sharing individually an inspiring building we had visited - and why it was so.
In small groups, using our Lego, we built something that modelled some of the characteristics of God - and shared this with others. ( Can you spot the Tree of Life, Open Door, Bridge, Window that formed part of ours....?)
We sang and read the Bible together.(1Peter 2:4-10) and, in groups, considered questions related to the passage and shared our findings with one another.
Everyone's opinions were listened to respectfully....
In our groups we then considered the good and bad aspects of the different building materials ( polished stones, rough cut stones, colourful wooden blocks, playdough - see them in the photo).
We were also invited to ask ourselves which building material we most resembled...
For our intercessions we walked the "bricks and mortars" of the high street and 
(privately or out loud) prayed for the people / the "living stones" of the area...
On return to the community centre, we made our confession, shared communion (and the Peace) together as well as God's blessing....
For me, there were elements of the "house group", interwoven with cafe church and distinctive elements of the eucharist...
Spiritually, sacramentally, socially and biblically we were nourished as we built one another up into the household of Christ....
I came away feeling very blessed to have been a part of this church as well as with a lot of practical questions which I will save for another time....
How do we in Dyffryn Clwyd / Ruthin build one another up under Christ our cornerstone....?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Walthamstow - seen in passing....

How about this for a "mobile library"? Households volunteer to host a "book house" which is stocked with books. People passing can borrow / add / replace a book and so the mini library continues.... What a wonderfully simple public service...!

Beginnings...

A journey begins with one step and (with some trepidation) I start my sabbatical. The hope? To rest, have time out to reflect on calling,  ministry and what it might look like in the future - personally and within the context of Ruthin.... So, a prayer: Loving God , in my journeying and my resting, in my listening and or reflecting please guide me and lead me afresh to the light of your truth, Jesus. For I ask in His name... AMEN .

Metropolitan Cathedral, Brasilia

Wednesday was a sharp contrast to the natural beauty of Amazonia - the capital city of Brasilia. This city replaced Rio de Janeiro as Brazil's centre of government in the 1960s (and it shows - sometimes in a good way!) Under the visionary leadership of President Juscelino Kubitschek ( stayed in a hotel named after him) the city was designed to bring together the diverse talents and skills of the newly independent Brazil. Established in the desert area of central Brazil, the city is a superb example of the work of architect Oscar Niemeyer, urban planner Lucio Costa and landscape architect Burle Marx ( see picture in previous blog). Their futuristic dream of a perfectly modelled 'city state' is evidenced in the many (literally!) ground-breaking buildings - some now sadly showing their age... I was able to join the 80 or so midday worshippers of all ages, gathered to celebrate the Eucharist and, for me, this was also an opportunity ( in contrast to the Amazon) to thank God