This morning we welcomed people to informal worship with bricks and breakfast.
On four of the six tables there was a ready built church and two tables had nothing but a box of bricks.
The churches before everyone arrived:
This service was not recorded and below is some of what was said:
The leadership team of this church have been discussing different ways to do worship and today is our second attempt at an informal worship, which is one of the ideas we have come up with. As it’s Father’s Day we thought, rather stereotypically, that Lego and breakfast would be a good mix. Worship comes in many forms, today we will listen to some music and pray, then I’ll ask you a few questions before we will chat amongst ourselves. The Methodist Church at the moment is putting all its money behind a scheme called new places new people and that is about looking at where church can be where it's not inside a church building. It’s about establishing a community where the word is spread, rather than a building.
At the last church council, Roanna sort permission to allow the leadership team to look into ways of going forward in discerning the mission of this church. She asked as time is against the congregation in regards to the cost of the building and the time it takes to maintain it. This isn’t to say this building isn’t valuable, we have one of the largest community halls and flexible worship space in Matlock, it is just to question if in the long term is it a help or a hindrance to the mission of the church. Or indeed how it can be helped.
This service is themed: The Father's house and I hope we could start these discussions about the mission of the church incredibly informally by first thinking about this building, the fathers house and we are going to use the bricks to do that. As always, we welcome everyone here this morning. If you don't always worship in this church, you are just as valued in this conversation as regular worshippers, if it’s your first time here hallelujah we have someone who can give us a first impression. This isn’t our building it’s the father’s house, and all are welcome in this place.
We prayed:
Heavenly father as we meet today in the father’s house, your house, we ask you to pour your blessing on us. Give us wisdom and renew our strength so that we may be able to know and discern what this church should be here in Matlock. We thank you that we can all meet together, and we ask that you still our troubles and heal what ails us. May we all know that we are welcome in your house be with us here today Lord, Amen
We sung:
We thought about what takes place in the church building:
Sunday:
Worship, upstairs, (except on this occasion) @ 10:30,
Messy Church, downstairs @16:00 once a month
Monday:
Friends of Ukraine meet up, downstairs @19:00
Tuesday:
Toddlers, downstairs @ 10:00,
Guild, downstairs @14:30 3rd week of the month
Wednesday:
Preschool Music, downstairs @ 10.30
GB downstairs, downstairs @ 18:00
Rock choir, upstairs @19:30
Thursday:
BB, downstairs @ 18:30
Friday:
Saturday: Working Parties
Other people also us the building such as: cleaners, flower arrangers, muscian practice, birthday parties etc
Having thought about what happens in the building and also about how worship takes many forms both inside and outside of a church, the question was asked, What does the Fathers house mean to you and therefore what does it look like?
In groups people discussed, built and played with the above question in mind below you can see what was built.
The Bible reading:
1 Corinthians 3
The Church and Its Leaders
9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
New International Version
Prayer's of intercession, basic outline of the prayer based on the poem "Here is the church":
Here's the church: We pray for the worldwide church, particularly those who suffer persecution and the Methodist church and our circuit.
and there's the steeple. We pray for everyone who sees the church building the message it gives
Open the door: we pray for everyone who comes through the door, whether church led group or not.
and see all the people: we pray for the congregation, particularly healing for the sick and grieving
Here's the minister going upstairs: We pray for Helen and Stephen who are staying on with us in the circuit, for Kate, Robert, and John who are moving to new pastures and for Ann, Janet and Michaela who will be joining us soon.
And here he is saying his prayers.
We closed with a blessing.
May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.