Sunday morning and I attended St George’s church, which is the local Anglican Church. This was Pentecost Sunday and I missed singing “On Fire” but we did sing some good Pentecost hymns.
The Vicar Mark told a story at the beginning of his address.
There was once a fresh water spring, on a hill side and people used to climb up the hillside to drink from the spring as the water was so good. Gradually others heard about the spring and they came also, people started to have to queue to drink this beautiful water. Some complained that when it was sunny they would get sunburn and when it rained they got wet while waiting for their turn. So they built a canopy over the spring, but still more people came and eventually the canopy was not big enough so they built a big building, a grand building over the spring one that everyone would fit inside of! And then people started hanging things on the walls and adding embellishments. The people who added the most decided that they had special rights, and that they could charge others to come into the building. Gradually people started to forget about the spring and eventually the water stopped flowing.
Mark asked if we recognized this as a church that we might know. Pentecost is a celebration of the birth of the Church. He asked if we knew what the mission of our church was and how we would know where to find it. He referred to the catechism for the answer - it says
"The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and with each other in Christ."
And how does the church do this -
"The Church pursues its mission as it prays and worships, proclaims the gospel, and promotes justice, peace and love."
And finally who is it that does this :
"The Church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its members."
So as Mark had said this is the mission of all of us as part of the Church, to pray and worship proclaims the gospel, and promotes justice, peace and love. It was quite a challenge but one to us all!
After Church I was taken out for breakfast, tomorrow will be my last day at Hands, it seems that time has gone quickly but I have seen so much of Hands at work dealing with everyday issues, but issues right at the heart of their mission. I can honestly say that it has been a privilege. But its not over yet, tomorrow I have early prayers, the Hands Monday meeting, then filming followed by debrief with Tommy before lunch with George and Carolyn.
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