Current Reading - The God You Already know

Something I read from “The God you Already Know” by Henry Morgan and Roy Gregory  will be the prompt  for our time together in the park this Sunday morning. Some food for thought before we get together:

The authors say

” I believe that in addition to ‘The Bible’ we each have access to our own ‘Personal Bible’ – the ways that God has ‘spoken’ to us through our lives. Note down the ways God has spoken to you at some point in your life. Only include what lies within your experience. When your list is finished (it will never be really complete, but you can always add to it), next to each category note down a specific example and next to that if you can recall it, write what it was you felt God was saying to you through it – find a word ,phrase or short sentence that catches the meaning.  I would guess that if you put all these words, phrases andsentences on one sheet of paper, there will be a consistent message. They will give you a sense of who this God is who has been addressing you.”

So, on Sunday, we will think on the One who is behind the message….come along 9.30am at the Bandstand,

We created this for our first Sunday morning worship in the bandstand in the park

We met for the first time in Matlock Park in the bandstand. We took the theme of  new beginnings- see below for a taste of the things we did, said and prayed.

• we put together a  celtic cross formed from twigs and sticks – Steve talked about the mark of the cross on our lives and on those we know, work  with and live alongside.
• we read together a prayer (borrowed and adapted from jonny baker’s worship trick 2) on journeys and new starts
• Barbara demonstrated a breaking out of old into new through smashing a hazelnut -(resulting from more thoughts around the MayBe service at Greenbelt_)
• Wendy read from ‘Detox your Sprititual Life ‘ by Peter Graystone and asked us to list one or two of the most important lessons we ‘ve learnt in  our lives. ” Were important lessons learnt over time rather than instantly? Was there an element of pain to important lessons learned?  How did this relate to where has led us in Third Space?”
• Harry reminded us of the Easter story as the best example of new beginnings.
• conkers were passed round – beautiful, astounding examples of God the creator  and we echoed the words  ‘this is why I believe’
• we placed leaves (a symbol of something coming to an end,) beech nuts (a symbol of new life / purpose) and white stones ( a prompt to pray for others)
• we shared bread and wine – the reason for everything we share and do.
• we shared our community prayer then continued ‘church’ over breakfast at the Crown.

Telling our stories that have shaped us

On Wednesday evening, we met together to share a meal. Great to have our companion-on-the-journey Ian Adams visiting us. We talked about the stories that had shaped our lives.

Theme:  New beginnings                                                     

6/9       Meal                                                                           

9/9       Pub      Inspiration from Greenbelt                              

16/9     Home –  Songhursts’ new house blessing                    

20/9     Sunday gathering                                                       

23/9     Pub      Vision and values                                           

30/9     Meal with Ian Adams leading                                    

4/10     Sunday gathering                                                        

7/10     Pub                                                                             

14/10   Home – Reflection / silence / Celtic liturgy              

18/10   Sunday gathering                                                                 

21/10   Sabbath