Last week, we met for our second Stepwise session, focusing on identity. It was another interesting session with some good discussion, and I felt more able to engage with it this week. It helped not being quite so tired as I was last time.
Following the session, we’ve been asked to reflect on a few questions. Here they are, along with my thoughts.
What part does God play in my identity?
My faith has been a big part of who I am, particularly over the last twenty years from the point at which I made a conscious choice to embrace God within my life. Before that, God was still part of my life (I have prayed almost every night since childhood) but church was not. That conscious choice brought me into a deeper relationship with God, which has helped keep me centred, given me hope and something to hold on to in the darkest moments of my life. There have been many times that I have felt alone, but I know that God has always been there. My identity with God also comes with an awareness of how very small I am in the grand scheme of things, and yet I am still important in God’s eyes. How amazing is that?
What is the difference between a covenant and a contract; between being a child of God and being part of the body of Christ?
A contract is a legally binding agreement, whereas a covenant is more of a spiritual agreement. A contract depends on both parties keeping to their agreed terms, whereas if one party breaks the terms of a covenant, the other party would still be morally bound to uphold the covenant. For instance, God’s covenant with his people. We break his rules all the time, we get things wrong, do things we shouldn’t and yet God’s promises to us hold firm. It’s about relationship rather than rules.
Being a child of God brings us into relationship with God – it’s a deeply personal, individual relationship. Being part of the body of Christ is about being part of the bigger picture; being part of a wider team. We’re all called to different roles, given different gifts, guided into different directions. Each of us has our own role to play.
What makes a church healthy?
My initial thoughts after doing some research on healthy church were as follows:
- Prayerful – seeking to find out who, what and where God wants them to be.
- Inclusive – an encouraging, welcoming church with room for all.
- Outward looking – sharing God’s love with the community.
- Energised by faith
- Aware of weaknesses
- Works as a community – recognising that each person has a role to play.
Here are some of the other thoughts that came out of the group session as to what makes a church healthy.
Where do I think I’ve seen God this week?
- In a quiet prayerful moment before a meeting and the supportiveness of others through the challenging moments. I keep being reminded of the grit in the oyster analogy this week.
- Listening to a robin singing in the garden while sitting outside eating my breakfast.
- In snowdrops appearing in the garden for the first time.
- In my sister sharing a dream she had about my eldest daughter and the little brother she never got to meet enjoying a special moment together. Oddly enough, my son had woken that morning asking where his eldest sister was. A reminder that we are still connected by love, even though we are physically separated.
Here’s my spider-web diagram at the end of session 2 illustrating how I think I am growing and changing as a result of this Stepwise journey:
A Kintsugi Faith 