There have been various references to sizes of congregations and to the picture of church as a family. These pull in different directions, generally the larger the less the feel of family. Graeme quoted the old dictum about more than 120 people being a point at which a congregation changes identity (and becomes increasingly an audience) and we have had about 120 on recent Sundays. The reference to waiting until we are 500 would not only have the fire authorities in a panic but such number needs major staffing and small group discipline if it is not to lose all semblance of a family. The Pastorate structure at HTB was introduced to give family (under 100) feel in a large church. This comes back full circle to setting up sections within the church as a whole which has been a cause of concern to some at least. How do we find a balance between dynamic growth and retaining a family feel? Sorry this is more question than answer!
Today you will have your chance to influence decisions that will determine the shape of St Michael’s for decades to come. We’ve been listening to God; amazingly, God is listening to us! Here are some words from the prophet Jeremiah to a group of the exiled people of God:
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper...” 10 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." 10.30am: All meet at the school for Holy Communion and to evaluate ideas for the future. 5.30pm: NO EVENING SERVICE: The leadership team meet to make their decisions, The leadership team came together at East Bergholt for a day of prayer and decision-making. Here are some of the things we sensed God saying to us:
“Unlikely friends can work together and be a patchwork church, held together in love” “We need the Fusion of all people’s gifts and resources to grow the church” “Loving agreement - Love one another and love Me” “Our worship is to honour God, whatever the time and place” “We should have the humility to allow those from St Michael’s to move on to other churches, just as we have received others” “Be open to God’s leading - we must plan for our future, not live in our past” “God wants more people to come to him, so it’s not about us, but the people we need to reach” “More prayer” “Care for each other as one church” “Openness to non-Christians matters more than keeping Christians happy” “Repentance is part of us moving forward together” Our thoughts were particularly focussed on John 15, which reminded us that Fruitfulness comes from the life of Jesus surging through us as we abide in him, and Friendship is costly – it always involves dying a little for the sake of our friends While listening to the Bible Society MP3 player last lent, some verses spoke to me from the letter to Sardis in Revelation chapter 3 and I felt they spoke to our Church. I did share them with a few people in the Church and may have mentioned it in one of my talks. Particularly the few phrases starting in v.2 ‘people say you are alive, but in fact you are dead. Wake up, and put some strength into what you still have, because otherwise it must die! For I have not found any work of yours brought to completion in the sight of my God’ –Repent
At the Annual Church meeting Andy mentioned the fig tree that hadn’t borne any fruit for 3 years so the man said to the vine-dresser ’Cut it down’. He was told to give it another year, put manure all around it and see if it produces any fruit next season, if not then it can be cut down. I notice the Bishop is speaking on this passage on 7 March. We are almost at the end of this year. I feel the Church has repented and woken up but how many things have we still not brought to completion. How many things have we started and not finished. This is why the leadership team must start on any changes we decide and see them through having listened to God in these 40 days. The members of the Church expect action now so we will bear fruit and not be cut down. "let the children run the church"
"invite your friends" "get the word out" "1 Thessalonians 1:3 for St Michael's" "more music" "superhero party" "join the choir or the orchestra" "get the message out" "recycle" "Here are the words that have been given to me, as I have spent time with God. Some of it doesn't really make sense to me, but may be more meaningful to you. The church is a news agency. In order to be successful, the news agency will need to meet the range of a wide range of people. Not all the people will like the same things or have the same needs, but there will be something for everyone. The church is a hospital. The hospital is a place for healing, but only if you go to the right department for your healing, for example if your leg hurts don't go to the brain surgeon. In church, I don't know who does what. If my tap leaked or a table collapsed, I am sure there must be someone in church who could mend them, just as I must have skills to help people. Maybe we need a list of who can do what, or a fun way to find out. Church is like a good orchestra. Eacdh member is needed. If one is missing there is a noticeable gap, ie no drum beat. Members are focused on the conductor (vicar) and their music (bible). It is impossible for them to focus on anything else, or they will make a mistake. The conductor knows all his players, plus he has the overall plan. The conductor has a manager (God) to look after him. The orchestra needs to stay in harmony with one another, looking to their music and the condutor for guidance and instructions. This takes, time, patience, energy and enthusiasm. To be in the orchstra takes lots of dedication. You need to keep going even - no especially - when you feel like giving up. When a seed starts to grow it is in the dark. No one can detect anything, but this si the most important growth stage, as it will be the development of the future. When a plant pushes through the soil it is a very tough time, physically demanding, emotional, a time when the darkness fades and the light appears. The palnt will need to time to adjust and settle into its new conditions, as things will seem strange at first. In time, it will produce fruit, but not straight away. In Exodus 35, Moses and the Israelites were about to start the work of creating a tabernacle. Note verse 5: everyone who is willing to bring an offering to the Lord. This is repeated in verse 22, 25, 6 and 29. This must mean that some Israelites were NOT intersted in building a tabernacle; they were not willing to get involved. Moses only worked with those who were interested. He only worked with those willing to serve God." Our path towards a vision statement began when we shared with the PCC the Pathfinders’ pictures of a petrol station, an alarm clock and a family. The Pathfinders (secondary students) suggested the church existed
· to fill us with God’s love when we’re running on empty, · to wake up the people of Galleywood, · and to be God’s family. The PCC developed the picture with the concept of “demonstrating God’s love by who we are and what we do”. That summer, 85 church members came together at a “Vision Day”. We broke into small groups, and building on the pictures from Pathfinders every single group felt our top priorities should be to “give the village a heart” by means of a community or drop-in centre, to grow in numbers through the preaching of God’s word, and to unite us as one church. Subsequently, a team worked on putting the finishing touches to the vision and values. The vision statement (“God calls us to show the love of Jesus, share his word with everyone and grow together as his family”) was adopted at the beginning of 2007. When my father-in-law, Bill Barrett, died in the 1970s, I started thinking that there wass more to life than I had realised. Curiously I'd been enjoying some modest success - wimming a number of cups in driving competitions around the country; I had never won anything before, and thought I was really living at last. But at the same time I felt more and more dissatisfied with life below the surface. Something wasn't quite right. Something was missing. I started to go to St Michael's with Mrs Barrett, to keep her company really after Bill died. The warmth of the welcome and the family spirit of the worshippers there made quite an impression on me. Alan Willett, the Vicar, gave me some ideas to think over, and I joined a study group - there was no pressure anywhere from anyone, just listening, asking, thinking, studying. Gradually it dawned on me what a Christian really was - I never knew before - and I saw that was the thing that was missing. In March 1978 the final decision was made my life was committed to the care of the Lord Jesus - "Not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it". St Michael's is a community FULL of LOVE. Whatever we decide to do in the future, we must not be so busy or involved with fundraising that we crush love...
For many months I feel that the Holy Spirit has been saying that for many people He is only theory and not powerful practice. With changed lives, healings and miracles, we would see many folk come into the church (Acts 19.1-6)... ...Until such time as the Church on the Common is adapted for youth and children's work, it makes sense to meet at the school a.m. We've had lovely services there in the 40 days - BUT we must make sure people don't get lost in the journey... ...the battle against evil: Ephesians 6.10-15... ...Where to meet? am school; evening 6.30 Common. When numbers increase we shall have to move... ...Rigid forms of words can either let the mind wander or leave some folk wondering what it means... ...I see the homegroup as a family, loving and caring, correcting and teaching. The services should have some challenge but not be too heavy. If we are hoping to welcome non-Christians we will need to be less "stuffy". ...What's missing? The power of the Holy Spirit... ...Children and youth: Knowing Jesus is for everybody, he helps with everyday problems... ...Working age adults: Be aware of the fruit of the Spirit... ...Elderly people: chat to others about Jesus. It would be good to serve luncheon - that's when we've got a kitchen! Love, Eileen Before the 40 days of discernment began I had decided I wouldn’t contribute to the discussion concerning the future of St Michaels. My reluctance was not because I don’t care but because I felt my views would be hurtful to some of the people who care deeply about the Church at the school.
However, through prayer, and listening to God as we have been asked to do in our prayer diary I have now been convinced that I should give my opinions anyway. I believe that we should be worshipping together in one building on a Sunday morning, and I believe that the “Mother” Church on the Common should be that building. I believe that Church at the School (ie the worshippers there) should transfer to the Common and no longer use the school at all. I believe that we must work hard to make the Church on the Common suitable for all age groups, whatever that entails . It is quite a large building so it must be possible to make areas suitable for children and youth work. I know this could be very expensive but if there is a will to raise money and God is with us then it will be raised. Other churches seem to manage it so I’m sure we can do it. Now that both congregations have fallen in numbers and we have lost one of our permanent clergy it is a good time to rethink our future if we are to be a relevant working 21st century Christian Centre in our village. As for the services, I believe the services we have shared at the school during the 40 days have shown up our differences but also how great it is to worship our God together. We have so much to share with each other and to learn from each other. OK it hasn’t been perfect! Sometimes it has made me feel incredibly old, but then I like a certain amount of reverence when sharing communion for instance and time to reflect. Last year we discussed and voted about times of services but it didn’t really get us anywhere. If we were under one roof it may be possible to have 2 services in the morning with a combined coffee time between, but I think that with a bit of thought we could have one family service which would suit us all – we would all have to compromise though!! Lastly (!!) I wonder if it would be feasible to have an administrator to help the clergy – at least part time, to do photocopying , distributing information to service leaders etc. I’m sure Andy and Stephanie have plenty of more important things to do! With love, Janette ☺☺ On January 16 1975 “Family Hour” was launched as a weekly service at the Junior School. The sermon was preached by the Revd. Alan Willett on the subject of “thus saith the Lord: let my people go that they may worship me!” (This was the “Family Hour Text”, and according to the "Family Hour Archive" - which several people tell me isn't accurate!! - was on a banner (now long lost) on the original lectern.)
The first song sung was: “Happy is the boy who believes in him, Happy is the boy who is cleansed from sin. Never to a boy did the Lord say no – Let us every one to the Saviour go! Happy is the girl who believes in him.... Happy is the man who believes in him... Happy is the woman who believes in him...” Our church prayer meeting is being held this evening at 8pm at the church; all are welcome. | AuthorAndy manages this. Please do leave a comment if you have a question or contribution! ArchivesJanuary 2013 Categories |
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