I received this by e-mail:
The following comment is limited to the two 10:30 services; other services and activity should be separately assessed.
On the structural level, from the comments here and conversations I’ve had during the Days so far, both congregations now seem to have a shared view:
“We like being together – but we don’t want to worship like them.”
I’m simplifying a complex issue – but if this is an accurate picture then it might also hold a key.
What comes next must be a Corporate Merger, and not an Acquisition. What must emerge will be different to what currently exists.
The position we have reached reminds me of Jews and Samaritans; each having their own practices and “holy place” – but let’s remember Jesus’ words to the woman at the well and see if they apply to us:
“…a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither merely in this mountain nor merely in Jerusalem [so neither according to one tradition nor the other]…
“A time will come, however, indeed it is already here, when the true genuine worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (reality); for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshippers” (John 4 v21, 23 – Amplified Bible, comment in square bracket added).
God likes new: “New Thing”, “New Creation”, “New Song” – most of these have already appeared on the graffiti wall.
What we need in order to Unify our Corporate Worship is a New Thing, and then slake our thirst together with the same drink that Jesus offered to the woman. At the same time we’re each scared of it going wrong and losing something dear.
Let’s urgently seek the bedrock principles for this New Thing, and then be patient as we make mistakes trying to bring this New Thing into reality (as we cannot expect to get the details right first time).
Could we enter into the following agreement, or something like it? It would be for Leadership to determine the appropriate time periods.
The following comment is limited to the two 10:30 services; other services and activity should be separately assessed.
On the structural level, from the comments here and conversations I’ve had during the Days so far, both congregations now seem to have a shared view:
“We like being together – but we don’t want to worship like them.”
I’m simplifying a complex issue – but if this is an accurate picture then it might also hold a key.
What comes next must be a Corporate Merger, and not an Acquisition. What must emerge will be different to what currently exists.
The position we have reached reminds me of Jews and Samaritans; each having their own practices and “holy place” – but let’s remember Jesus’ words to the woman at the well and see if they apply to us:
“…a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither merely in this mountain nor merely in Jerusalem [so neither according to one tradition nor the other]…
“A time will come, however, indeed it is already here, when the true genuine worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (reality); for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshippers” (John 4 v21, 23 – Amplified Bible, comment in square bracket added).
God likes new: “New Thing”, “New Creation”, “New Song” – most of these have already appeared on the graffiti wall.
What we need in order to Unify our Corporate Worship is a New Thing, and then slake our thirst together with the same drink that Jesus offered to the woman. At the same time we’re each scared of it going wrong and losing something dear.
Let’s urgently seek the bedrock principles for this New Thing, and then be patient as we make mistakes trying to bring this New Thing into reality (as we cannot expect to get the details right first time).
Could we enter into the following agreement, or something like it? It would be for Leadership to determine the appropriate time periods.
- We agree TODAY that we will unite our Corporate Worship (the 10:30 services) on [Date]
- We agree that during the NEXT MONTH the core Principles that will purpose our Corporate Worship will be determined [Leadership might have discerned these by the end of the 40 days]
- We agree that during the NEXT SIX MONTHS we will consider the implications of these Corporate Worship Principles on all other aspects of church activity [8am and evening services, Housegroups, etc.]
- We agree that during the NEXT YEAR we will explore, try, and test how to embody those Principles within our united Corporate Worship.
- We agree that this will involve getting things wrong, and we will forgive each other when that happens.
RSS Feed