On this page you will find material from the weekend away in 2013.
Community is at the heart of the story of God. God 3 in 1 a community of relationships in himself Father, Son and Holy Spirit perfect equality in diversity. We as the church are called the body of Christ, each of us having equal value and worth but diverse in whom we are and the part we play in serving in the body.
The church in Act 2 is a great expression of what community could look like, a hospitable community who share life to meet the needs of each other. However sharing life isn’t always easy, as it opens us up to be vulnerable and requires trust and a great amount of Love. Peter writes in his first letter: Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1Peter 4:8-10
Hospitality is the action of opening up our lives and sharing who we are and what we have to gift with each other. Throughout the bible we see God invite us to share in all that he is and all that he longs to give. As we receive from him we are called to share with one another and the world.
The church isn’t called to hold worship services it’s called to be a community that changes the world. The weekend away won’t suddenly cause us to be a perfect community but it is a step in giving time to God and each other in a way that isn’t at the moment possible week to week. For many of us we have been around church along time, we have been Christians to many years and we can become jaded and tiered, what we need is a Refreshing Encounter.
The Christian life of community revolves around 3 encounters, Our encounter Up as we spend time with God, Our encounter In as we spend time with each other in the church growing and learning and Our encounter Out as we express Christ to the world.
Each of these encounter can be refreshing if we let them and if we are prepared to experience them. My prayer is that we will be open to let God speak into our lives afresh, and as a church step into all that he has for us.
May God Bless each of us
Pete
Session 1: Our encounters Up – Martin Young
Session 2: Our encounters In- Martin Young
Session 3: Our encounters Out- Martin Young
Session 4: Our Church – Next – Peter Everitt