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There's work.. and there's work...
Well, summer has come, Wimbledon has gone and the World Cup Final will doubtless lure some away from an Evening Service, as it takes place, after the heat of the day, early on a Sunday evening.
The world has changed from those days when Sundays were long and empty, with little to fill them but Church Services, Sunday School and Bible class. Yet alongside the increasing leisure experiences enjoyed by many, others work long and unsocial to make all these things possible.
The blurring of the distinctions between Weekdays and Shopping Days, indeed between what constitutes work, and what are seen as leisure activities, has put the original aims of the Sabbath rules at risk for some, while creating more opportunities for others.
The Old Testament laws about Sabbath - whether it's one day in seven or one year in seven - are about freeing slaves, cancelling debts, leaving fields fallow, not continuing with one's weekday work. They are about making sure others are not exploited, that those around us enjoy the relaxation of a day without busyness, pressure, stress and hassle. And they are also about time off, holidays and just walking through the fields. The question is, who are they for?
For the privileged and secure, Western culture offers a wealth of opportunities for personal enrichment: it also offers the opportunity to worship freely -something which could in itself be seen as a luxury denied to those who keep the show running.
When it comes down to it, is the provision of worship a benefit or a duty, for a Christian in a modern age? In an age of ever-expanding choice, do we in the church provide or consume?
Jesus said: "As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
In the Salvation Army, they have a tradition of holding two different types of worship service - in many places holding both on a Sunday - one for the Members of the Corps, who are committed to the work of the Lord, and like all Christians, need to be regularly fed; and one for those who are still Seeking. - At these latter Services the Band, the Songsters and the Preachers have the goal before them of presenting the Gospel to those who are not yet convinced, not there because the presence of the risen Jesus has become a life-fulfilling reality to them.
It has become clear to me over the last year that, as the two congregations seek to worship and work together, the holding of one style of worship on two different sites has become a source of tension, and provides a pressure which may drive us apart rather than bring us together. There is a mission imperative behind our coming together, I believe, and perhaps the model of "complementary forms of worship", rather than competing styles provides a way forward. Those of us who are established members of the congregations all like "churchy worship" - for want of a better word - of one form or another... but there are other styles emerging - and not just for children or young adults, which are more suited to the "unchurched" nature of our society.
But.... central to this is the need to recapture the sense that worship is a duty, as well as a privilege, something that we offer, not solely because it is helpful and meaningful for us, but because it is one way in which "the light of the glorious gospel of truth may shine throughout the world"... into dark places.
Something for us all to think about as we enjoy the summer and its comings and goings - Your travelling companion Harry
"One Church on Two Sites" Can we move from 'Working and Worshipping Together' to 'Meeting and Ministering' on Two Sites ? .
At the Joint Meeting of the Two Congregations held on April 18th, it was agreed to work towards three interlocking "Plans for the Way Ahead" - A Mission Plan, A Worship Plan and a Business Plan, and to present these as a proposal for the Way Forward in the Autumn.
To bring this about a Steering Group has been called together, chaired by our Ministers, which will seek to bring together the work of three Working Groups - on for each plan. They met at the end of May to set out the Terms of Reference for each Group, and will meet in July to share the initial thoughts from each of the Working Groups .
Then there will be monthly meetings of the Steering Group to draw together the findings and proposals of the Working Groups with the aim of preparing a coherent plan across the three areas of concern.
However, this is not really about a small group pulling ideas out of the air and packaging them nicely, for various formal meetings to rubber-stamp them. We need to find ways to share the issues, and hear your views on the "Work in Progress".
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