I think we are getting there.
Here are some of the thoughts from last nights meeting (10th) , sorry if I've missed anything...please add anything I've forgotten.
We watched a DVD about Hope08 http://www.hope08.com/
This inspired some of us that action and serving others needs to be part of our service - we need to be seen in order to get the Gospel heard.
We discussed volunteering in our own community, perhaps as part of already established organisations, ideas on how evangelism can take place and the difficulties and restrictions we may face.
We should encourage one another - do we need to be accountable ?
We need to be relevant, deal with local isues and national concerns through understanding, prayer and action. Perhaps expand the 'sharing time' to do this and if an issue is pressing then have the freedom to abandon the planned theme and give the issue attention.
A planned structure as Fiona previously suggested was acknowledged as a good way forward, with themes and methods of presentation open to variation ( mid week planning meetings required - who is available & when ? )
Still want sermons now and then as teaching is crucial to our meetings, as is regular communion.
Rose suggested a 4 point mission which we agreed summed up our focus : to serve, encourage, teach and share communion.
Also would like more information on whats going on at St Marks, locally and the church worldwide - We need to STAY relevant and in touch.
We need to advertise ourselves more - including this blog and we discussed how to develop this further.
Finally we want someone ie Derek to have the final say on our direction and purpose. Leader please lead us !
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Make it easier??? - mmm not having the exact website UTRL to hand this has taken me ten minutes to find from stmarksutley.org.uk. and I think I am reasonably computer literate.
So effort needs to be expended in making sure others can find out what is going on and easily. I think that part of last night's discussion centred around how you marketed yourselves and better communication.
Christianity is primarily about communication and it was intriguing to note that many people, part of St Marks for a long time, are not fully conversant with all that is happening.
i also think that there is a need to be aware of bigger social issues, locally as well as nationally and internationally, although I have an inkling that we may be more effective in the lcvoal arena.
St Marks needs someone to take on this communication role and various methods need to be tried - each different according to congregation and event....
It will take time and commitment. Clarity and conciseness being key concepts.
So how about this thought:
http://www.btinternet.com/~smallritual/section4/urbanquarter.html
Blogger has cut of the link again... the end of the link in the previous post should be..
section4/urbanquarter.html
Spent 5 minutes looking at this blog and the way it was set up sent me mad. The men in the white coats are coming for me.
Whoa ! Far above my head that one.
Derek
I think the site you pointed to has some very valid approaches. So why are we not doing it?
Whatever happened to Church, Community and Change?
OK here is a suggestion
One issue each month the Family News is an A3 sheet folded with extra detail about some topic tom get us all informed - one of the extra pages about a church based intitiative and the second about somethign outside the church but involving the community on which the church (ie the people who use the building) should be awqare or get stuck in.
Only problem - who will do this?
As always - it needs a deidcated individual who will put the effort in.
Church, Community and Change was never a project but a process designed to get the church thinking outwards and then perhaps consider a project.
As it turns out, there was little that our relatively afluent community wanted - although Tim's work on Beechcliffe is fulfilling one identified need.
Also CCC did make some of our church people look for ways to get involved and quite a few now help with Sally Army meals.
I think much will depend on how things develop with Keighley Shared Church and St John's Ingrow.
Pray for me as I think some of these things through on sabbatical, and talk to other church leaders about their experiences.
PS: who is r t choke? I think we should be told :o)
Who am I?
A Time Lord?
Am I the global or Jerusalem variety?
I think Derek knows or can guess.......
However to more serious matters:
Thanks for the comments BTW on CCC - not knowing how it ended or was "finalised" is an example of communication. Or was I away the one day it was all mentioned?Perhaps more about such things could be written in ReMarks - I would if I knew what was going on!
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