Please Come ...

(Published in News First, September 2006 - monthly church newsletter of the Warragul Uniting Church)

Dear friends,

One of the issues I constantly wrestle with is how to present the Gospel (Good News) in a way that has meaning for and touches the lives of those I come in contact with. I find I am sometimes using the familiar religious language and terms with “people of the church” and then, finding other language and terms for people “not of the church”. Even we people “of the church” might define some of our terms differently from each other, for example try explaining “Grace” or “Hope” or, even “Faith”.

It seems to me much of our comfortable church language is becoming "in house”, or only language we can use sensibly in the Church family. Of course we need a common language for our church family and every area of life and discipline of learning has its own language. However, this Gospel (Good News) is meant to be shared with others, indeed in Jesus words, the whole world. If we accept this, then we need to find ways and a language that will be understood and taken to heart by those outside of the Church family”.

With this concern in my heart, and the strong belief that ordinary church people have the words and language to share the Gospel, I am inviting you all to a series of three sessions to explore how we might discover this ability together.

On September 10th, October 8th and 29th come and join me for a BBQ tea at 5pm for fellowship and then at 6pm we can spend up to 1½ hours exploring what I am calling “Faith for Living”. For younger children there will be animated movies on the screen in the worship space.

During these sessions we can learn to value our own personal faith story, and the variety of each one’s own story. We might even find ways of telling that story to a few others, having our own story validated and being enriched by others’ journey of faith. I believe that none of us have the whole story or full understanding or truth, rather we encourage each other with our part of the jigsaw puzzle of the Gospel and how it can influence our living.

I pray that you might be able to join me on these occasions.

Chris