Imagining Church

We're trying to think through values for our new venture at the moment. Having recently been through an interminably tedious process for coming up with a vision statement and objectives for another organisation I'm determined to try and make this as painless as possible. I'm being helped in the process by thinking through useful questions. The website Prodigal Kiwi not only asks these great questions:-

Key Questions – the responses to which will sit as part of the core of who we are as a distinctive Christian community.
Who are we as a church in this context?
Why are we here?
Where is God at work?
What will define us as a church?
What will be our character and distinctives?
Our values and virtues?
What is it that we are called to be and do in this place?
What is it that we will tend, protect, and nourish in this place?
Who is God for those in this place where we are?
What is Gospel in this place where we are?

but also has some references to Celtic Monasticism which is also having a significant influence at the moment. I'm thinking that "uncertain, risky and hopeful" has got to be in the mix somewhere. Also had a study day recently with Michael Moynagh from Fresh Expressions who asked the following questions when thinking about principles for starting "Fresh Expressions"

What are your values?
Who will you serve? - churched, fringed, unchurched?
What key people do you need?
What will work? What do people want?
Loving service rather than a worship service?
How will you introduce a spiritual dimension - at the start or later?
How will you sustain the venture?
How will everyone be held to account?
Are your expectations realistic?
Will we take the risk?

Questions, questions, questions - just got to find some answers..

A Desert in the Ocean

For the two of you who've persevered and continue to check out my blog despite the lack of updated content, a few more thoughts. Our little church experiment is great fun, two weeks in and we've already got some traditions going (croissants and jam being the most important). This week spent some time considering observing the Kingdom but not until I'd thrown in the poem attributed to my hero of the moment St Brendan. I found the book Desert in the Ocean by David Adam at a Catholic Retreat centre. I've got a couple of his books on Celtic prayers and this one's subtitle is a call to Adventurous living - meditations based on the poem attributed to St Brendan the navigator.

Here's the poem:-

Shall I abandon, O King of mysteries, the soft comforts of home?
Shall I turn my back on my native land, and my face toward the sea?
Shall I put myself wholly at the mercy of God, without silver, without horse, without fame and honour?
Shall I throw myself wholly on the King of Kings, without sword and shield, without food and drink, without a bed to lie on?
Shall I say farewell to my beautiful land, placing myself under Christ's yoke?
Shall I pour out my heart to him, confessing my manifold sins and begging forgiveness, tears streaming down my cheeks?
Shall I leave the prints of my knees on the sandy beach, a record of my final prayer in my native land?
Shall I then suffer every kind of wound the sea can inflict?
Shall I take my tiny coracle across the wide, sparkling ocean?
O King of Glorious Heaven, shall I go of my own choice upon the sea?
O Christ will you help me on the wild waves?

Come ON!

Uncertain, Risky & Hopeful

I've been on a bit of a blogattical there are many people out there saying much of what I'd like to say but far more sweetly so I didn't feel any need to join the conversation. However today has been a monumental day in the life of our "church plant" as we had our first worship gathering. We met in a local youth centre coffee and croissants were followed by time spent praying and focusing on getting Christ into the centre of all that we are and do as individuals and a community. Our Bishop has met the team a couple of times and it was he who thinks it all looks rather "uncertain, risky and hopeful". I'm beginning to wonder whether we should be called St Brendan's after the celtic monk who was supposed to get into his coracle (small boat with sail) with his team and say Lord let the wind of your spirit take us to where you want us to go. I like that sense of God dependent uncertainty..bring it on!