Had a great time in brilliant sunshine and breath-taking beauty in the park this Sunday. Barbara and Grayden led, looking at Fair Trade since it was the last weekend of Fair Trade fortnight. They also linked in ideas of community and had something for us to discuss over coffee from an article on the Hope Revolution Website by Richard Witham from Scripture Union. It followed our discussions on Wednesday evening about the difference between a club and a community. Thought it in some way answered our question.

‘What is community?

We each find ourselves in a wide variety of communities. Some of these we choose and others we do not. Take a moment and think about all the different communities (groups of people) that you are part of. These could include your friends, classmates, those who live down your street, internet communities, team mates, those in your church, people in your youth group, or your very own family. One of the best examples of how God calls us to live within our communities, bringing about change, as well as actually being the change, can be found when He called Abram – Genesis 12 v 1-4 
Abram and his family – who later became the people of Israel – were called by God to be a blessing to others and in turn, they themselves would also be blessed. However the first thing Abram had to do was follow God and trust where he was being led. If we want to bring change and bless others we have to first be willing to follow God and trust Him. If you feel you are able to say to God that you trust him and will follow him every day, no matter where this may take you, then find a moment to say this to God.   
If we want to bring about change we cannot do this on our own. We need to be part of a Christian community that together, is willing to follow God and serve Him as their number one priority. Take a moment today to pray for the Christian community that you are a part of.   
To bring about change to our communities, God has called us to bless others first and then He will bless us. It’s not that we seek a blessing – that’s certainly not our motivation – but God in His kindness always blesses those who seek to be a blessing to others.  
Ask God how you can actively, creatively and selflessly bless those around you this week, and therefore begin to bring about life-changing, revolutionary, transforming change in their lives.

The way I see it a community differs from a club in that – a Christian Community is on a journey together – led by God. The community has as its priority a commitment to bring about the Kingdom of God in areas in which it moves. A Christian Community should have at its heart a desire to bless others and to follow the example of Jesus.’ 

Before we shared bread and wine we reflected again on what this might mean…

What are we doing when we share bread and wine?

• When we share bread and wine it is a thanksgiving to God.
• When we share bread and wine we bless the creator and affirm creation.
• When we share bread and wine we remember Jesus.
• Sharing bread and wine is a celebration of what we believe.
• Sharing bread and wine calls us into community.
• Sharing bread and wine is a shared meal of liberation.
• As we eat the bread and drink the wine we recognise that we are dependent of God.
• When we share bread and wine it is open to all.
• Sharing bread and wine leads us to serve others.
• Bread and wine is a symbolic meal of the Kingdom – it anticipates the reign of God – it is a foretaste of the great feast to come.