Community - growing together – 11 January 2008

When we become a Christian Jesus describes it as being “born again” and when we are “born again” we are born into a family, a family of brothers and sisters, all children of our Father in heaven – and Jesus called that family, the church.

“I will build my church” Matthew 16:18 (NIV)

The church is a community, and this community is vital to the process of living the Christian life. It is a place of security, of learning, of challenge, of opportunity and of serving – above all a place of love.

As a church we face new and exciting challenges in the newly formed parish of St. Matthew’s and St. Oswald’s. With our three worship centres at St. Matthew’s, Overlade and St. Oswald’s we are starting a journey of discovering what it means to live in an extended family – of embracing more of the variety within our family.

I welcome this challenge because it is a wonderful example of all that we are called to be in God’s family – my prayer is that as we appreciate one another more so we will discover new opportunities for extending God’s kingdom as he uses us to build his church – but we cannot do this unless we are committed to one another.

We speak too easily and dismissively of going to church or not going to church, when what we are actually saying is “I’m not going to meet my family” or “I am going to meet with my family”

I hope you will meet your family this Sunday and as the writer of Hebrews (10:25) puts it

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (NIV)

The great AND terrible day of Jesus’ coming again is approaching, we his people, his church, must be ready and warn others of the urgency of being ready for that day.

See you on Sunday!