Our focus on session 4 is where we fit in in our community. In the preparation this week, I’ve been starting to look at ‘missional church’, ‘attractional church’ and ‘incarnational church’ and thinking a little about where my own church fits in with this. I’m struck by the thought of attractional church trying to make itself more attractive in the hope that if they change the seating, make the worship more lively, offer more activities, then people will come versus the concept of incarnational church going out to meet people where they are. We’re definitely more of an attractional church. I suspect this session is going to leave me with a lot of food for thought.
Where have I seen God lately?
I’ve struggled with this a bit more this week with the war in Ukraine dominating the news. One of those moments when you wonder where God is and why he doesn’t stop things like this happening. It’s been especially scary with Putin making threats about nuclear weapons. I’ve been praying very hard this week that things don’t continue to escalate and that the talks between Russia and Ukraine will find more peaceful ways to bring the conflict to an end.
I’m reminded in times like this of Mr Rogers’ words:
When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”
To me, God is very much in the people who are helping others. In those making room for refugees, in those standing firm against the invasion, in those providing aid and medical supplies. God is still there, working through those who are helping others.
God is moving in a lot of big things this week, but here are my own little, personal, moments of seeing God:
- Being sent a couple more ‘new’ photos of my daughter from a Girls’ Brigade event. What a joy it is to see her face in photos and see precious moments captured.
- In my three-year-old son being given some sweets at a party and immediately sharing them with others.
A Kintsugi Faith 