Connected

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We met in the park and it was WARM – Hallelujah!

Opening Worship

We gather this morning in the name of the Creator,

who creates time and space,

galaxies and stars and planets.

In the name of Jesus Christ, born on planet Earth,

and in the name of the Spirit who fills Earth with his presence.

Creator God,

in this time we call “now”

and in this space we call “here”

we worship you.

Make you presence felt among us.

Connectedness

Grayden introduced the subject by saying he often felt nostalgic for the 50’s and 60’s – an era of steam trains, children playing out rather than being plugged in to computers, good manners (treating others with respect) and school reports in which a teacher was allowed to say just a few words about a pupils’ progress rather than a short essay. For example, you might get excellent work, good, satisfactory, always tries hard, good oral work, but sometimes the teacher would write – could try harder or could do better.

Well in January we looked once more at our values, and both Barbara and Grayden thought in the area of connectedness – we could “do better”.

This led us to planning a Sunday morning in which we allowed time to think about our own connectedness as Third Space, but also as individuals. This mornings warm weather provided just the right conditions to do some self examination.

 

Prayer stations and instructions

1st Space – home and family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sit on a bench in the park

  • Think about your close family and thank God for each one of them
  • Pray for any members of your family who are in need in any way
  • Think about ways in which you and your family could be better connected to your neighbourhood or town

2nd Space – work or school

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walk down to the bridge and watch the water as it flows towards the sea

  • Think about your friends at work or school and thank God for them
  • Think about those you come across that you find more difficult – ask God to help you feel more connected with them

 

3rd Space – Third Space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stand under a tree with bare branches and look up – think about the interconnectedness of all in Third Space

  • Think about each member of Third Space
  • Thank God for Third Space
  • Think about any ways Third Space could be better connected in the town

 

4th Space – Your community

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walk slowly around the park for a few minutes, looking at buildings and people

  • Pray for your neighbours
  • Pray for your town / village
  • Think about the different ways you are connected within your community
  • Think about new ways you could be connected within your community

 

Sharing Bread and Wine with An Emerging Creed.

         We are people who……

Have found Jesus to be beyond compare.

Invite all to join us without insisting they become like us.

Find more reality in searching and questioning than in certainty and absolutes.

Realise that how we treat others is the greatest test and expression of what we believe.

Firmly believe in the equality of men and women, that no-one is greater than another and that all people bear God’s image.

Recognise that following Jesus is costly and we need to support each other in the work we feel called to do: being peacemakers, striving for justice, befriending the lonely, healing the sick, serving the hungry and destitute, visiting the sick and the elderly, inspiring children and young people, caring for God’s creation……………….

In sharing bread and wine together look back to remember Jesus’ death and resurrection and look forward to God’s feast for all peoples.

This is the bread of Christ, the bread of Community, the bread of Justice, the bread of Celebration, the bread of Service, the bread of Journey and the bread of Connectedness.

This is the wine of Christ, the wine of Community, the wine of Justice, the wine of Celebration, the wine of Service, the wine of Journey, the wine of Connectedness.

 

We ended our session with an entanglement of ourselves and string attached to the bandstand and said together:

 A Blessing for Your Community

May the blessing of God fall on our community,

May it be a safe place,

Full of understanding and acceptance.

Where you can be as you are,

Without the need of any mask

or pretence or image.

May this place be one of discovery,

Discovery of the love of God,

The peace of Jesus and

The transforming power of the Holy Spirit

Where from the clay all can emerge

To deepen and refine

Their knowledge of your kingdom

Amen