Monthly Message (July 2008) - Creating opportunities for faith

Dear Friends,

I know that I say it and write it often …. But finding ways to encourage thinking about and growing in the Christian faith is the heart of what I’m here for. And recently there have been some good discussions at Elders and Church meetings about how we as a church engage with and reflect upon our Christian faith. Throughout those conversations we have recognised that we are not creating enough opportunities, beyond Sundays, to keep in touch with the heart of our faith.

Now I know that many people, if invited to a ‘Bible study’, will immediately think – Oh no, that’s not for me! The impressions of bygone ages when such gatherings meant listening to the expert in serious lecture mode, are hard to set aside. But it need not be this way …… and today we can enjoy a whole variety of ways of sharing our reflecting upon the story of God at the centre of our faith. We all have valuable insights to share. Unlocking the rich treasures at the heart of our faith, asking our questions and growing together in understanding and confidence …. Can even be fun!

The United Reformed Church, nationally, is launching the ‘Vision4Life’ process at the General Assembly in Edinburgh this month. ‘Vision4Life’ will give churches, over the next couple of years, ideas and material that will help us learn and think more together about some key building blocks of Christian faith. First concentrating on the Bible, then Prayer, and then ways of telling our story out in the world. Our recent Church Meeting decided that it would be good for our Church to take part in the Vision4Life project.

Vision4Life starts for real at the beginning of Advent 2008 ….. but in the Church meeting we thought ‘why wait until December?’ We agreed that as soon as possible … we should be finding ways to meet, read and reflect upon the Bible and talk and grow in our faith together.

So, two ideas to begin with ……

• First …. That once a month in the morning and once a month in the evening, (so that both workers and non-workers have equal opportunity to take part), near the beginning of the week, there will be an opportunity to come along to share any thinking or questions arising from the previous Sunday’s worship and read and talk together about the readings for the next Sunday’s service. The idea being that questions can be asked and mulled over together … with the aim of rediscovering the Bible as ‘the people’s book’.
• Secondly …. That we try a new way of bringing the teaching of the Bible into our conversations about contemporary issues …. By creating a book club. It will be called ‘The Good Book Club’. It will start with those taking part reading a novel. (The Library service can supply sets of novels for shared reading groups!) Then we’ll get together to share our thoughts on the book and consider the ways in which the Bible and Christian thinking address the ideas raised in the book.

‘The Good Book Club’ will begin in September …. Next month’s newsletter will have a suggested book for reading and a date for meeting.

‘The People’s Book’ … Can begin earlier! How about the morning of Tuesday 15th July at 10.30am. and/or the evening of Tuesday 29th July at 8pm. Each will reflect on the Sunday past and think about the readings for the forthcoming Sunday ….. and be held somewhere in the church buildings. Do come along if you can.

I hope that you will find your interest stirred … and give one of these ideas a try.

Yours,

Tracey.