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From
the Mission Enabler
September 2007
As we begin another year in
the life of the church I wonder how you are feeling?
Excited, challenged, cautious, inspired, tired, longing to follow Christ
more closely, just wanting some peace, you could add your own words here,
I'm sure.
I believe that we face challenging
times as we seek to be God's church in today's world, but they can be
inspiring and exciting times if we are willing to look afresh at our inherited
ways of engaging with 'church' and the world.
In his recent book Resourcing
Renewal, Martyn Atkins, President of the Methodist Conference, states,
The ability of Christianity - and its churches - to change in relation
to its cultural context is a great blessing and one that is made clear
in the history of mission.
We live in such times. What
has been found to be helpful for one generation may not provide all that
is needed for a different generation. Thus the church is constantly in
a state of flux as it supports those who are its faithful members, at
the same time as encouraging fresh ways of being church, while holding
fast to the teachings of Jesus.
I have been challenged lately
by the image of Christ as servant and therefore the church, as the body
of Christ, also being a 'servant church'. What does this mean in your
neighbourhood?
How can we best serve those around us bringing new life and hope?
Do we know the needs of the community?
In serving others we find new life ourselves.
During 2008 churches throughout
the whole country are being asked to join in Hope 08, praying, witnessing,
and serving their communities in new and innovative ways. There are many
available resources and some brilliant ideas for your church to be found
on the web site; www.hope08.com
Young people could be asked to make a DVD of their community, space for
young people could be provided, a listening service could be offered,
opening the church premises as a sacred space could provide a safe place
for all to come and meet with God. Churches are being asked to celebrate
Pentecost 2008 with 'a million acts of kindness'.
What can you do as the agent of God's transformation in your neighbourhood?
Please prayerfully consider
the possibilities and if I can be of help in any way, give me a ring or
email.
Every blessing
Susan
Susan.mission@btinternet.com
07740148997 or 0191 5266681
Many churches and
circuits around the District are being creative in their mission and ministry.
Their stories are below.
If you have
your own story to tell please do contact me.
susan.mission@btinternet.com
I have recently been
reading, and have been inspired by, Emerging Churches by Eddie Gibbs and
Ryan K. Bolger. They have thoroughly research emerging churches from both
the USA and the UK over the last five years and have concluded that
'emerging churches are communities that follow Jesus and the kingdom into
the far reaches of culture. Emerging churches destroy the Christendom
idea that church is a place, a meeting, or a time. Church is a way of
life, a rhythm, a community, a movement.'
The Methodist Church
began as a movement: is this our starting place once more?
Elm Ridge Methodist
Church, Darlington :
CHURCH ON MONDAY is an integrated pattern of church for the unchurched:
1.30 - 3pm Tiddlywinks - structured play, craft, prayer, praise, parenting
course for parents and pre school children - about 15 parents and up to
20 children meet fortnightly in the church hall.
4 - 5pm Genesis - After school Bible club with prayer, Bible teaching,
support of a child in Lebanon, drama, art, games - 15 children of Primary
School Age and 5 helpers.
7.30pm - 9pm - SOAP - Sort Of A Party for secondary school students with
games, discussion on faith and life issues, refreshments, chill out time
. Another group for this age meets on Sunday evenings -'The Motley Crew'
currently in membership training, also testimony, music, and Bible teaching.
15 attend fortnightly)
We are looking to develop other ways of being church mid week - ten home
groups, also First Friday on first Friday of every month - contemporary
interactive style of prayer and praise attracting committed home group
members coming together to pray for the renewal of the church - began
June 2006 - 25 attend, all are already committed Christians.
Phil Clark
Barnard Castle
and Teesdale
We have made some progress in forming cell groups in the BC&T Circuit.
We started off with two prototype groups for twelve weeks. These have
now developed into five ongoing groups which are intended to develop over
the next 18 months or so. People from around the circuit are involved
in these trial cells, but launching the 'cell circuit' idea still has
a way to go. We would appreciate prayer support in this.
Keith Pearce
Peterlee Methodist
Church has been developing for some months now a 'Coffee House and Film
evening' each week at 7.00pm on a Sunday. It has drawn in new faces as
people explore how the issues of the day as seen in a variety of films
affect the life of faith. The coffee is great and the conversations stimulating.
Susan Johnson
Cleveland and Danby
We have embarked on a series of worship experiences throughout the circuit.
We plan to hold events on five areas- PRAYER; THE BIBLE; MUSIC; THE MESSAGE;
FELLOWSHIP. Each event is to be held in three parts of the circuit and
at different times- eg afternoon, evening and weekends so that as many
as possible can come. For each event we are asking at least one LP or
WL plus people from the host church, to be involved from the planning
stage along with Trevor Hume, Janice Hacon and/or Grace Seymour.
The first events, exploring PRAYER have been held and about 50 people,
in total, came. Each event was different, reflecting the planning group
and there has been positive feedback. The whole event lasted no longer
than 1 1/2 - 2 hours and that included an introduction and a cup of tea
at the end with discussion time. Dates have been organised for the BIBLE
in February and hopefully towards the end of March for MUSIC.
Our hope is that these will enrich our weekly worship, as well as private
devotions and help us to explore ways that those who may not be familiar
with worship will find stimulating. We are thinking of holding a worship
event at the end of the series that will combine elements of each, in
a 'liquid worship' form. All this is in a response from the circuit churches
for help in making worship more family and stranger friendly.
Grace Seymour
Season
of Prayers for Mission
Download
resource here
District Mission Enabler
Susan Johnson
My name is Susan Johnson.
In September 2005 I was appointed to work for the Methodist Church in
the Darlington District as the District Mission Enabler. I have been asked
to promote God's mission in the life of the churches and circuits of the
Darlington District through:
- Evangelism - enabling people
to share their Christian faith with others
- Social Action - enabling
churches' involvement in the practical expression of God's love in Christ
in the communities of the district
- The Struggle for Justice
- enabling the expression of God's justice in the practical life of
the district and its communities and beyond.
There are three specific areas
for my work :
1. Promoting the Priority of Mission
2. Developing District, Circuit & Local Church Mission Strategies
3. Creating & Mentoring Circuit Mission Enablers
One of the purposes of a District
is to offer resources to circuits and churches. I am a living resource
to be used wherever needed. I am happy to come to speak to groups, lead
meetings, worship, away days, and to work with people seeking God's way
forward as the church in the 21st century.
I am hoping to develop these
mission web pages to include your stories of the life in your church
and circuit. As I have travelled across the District since September
I have heard and seen many stories of hope and life, like the Kara Project
in Middlesbrough and the opening of the redesigned church premises in
Horden.
How are you helping to share God's love in Christ with those around
you?
What stories can you tell when others ask you about your faith?
What are your plans for the future?
Just contact me and your story
can then be included on these web pages.
I can be contacted by email: susan.mission@btinternet.com
or by phone 07740148997
Mission
Service
 God's
transformation of individuals and then the world.
I offer some thoughts on an
act of worship focusing on mission that offers several possibilities for
preachers and worship leaders to explore. There is a movement that needs
to happen in our thinking about mission, as we move away from believing
that mission is something that only specialists can do (i.e. invitations
made to groups to come and 'do mission' for a week) to the realisation
that God calls each of us to be participants, or partners, in his mission
of love to the world.
Wherever you are you are, when ever you are, you are able to bring a bit
of light and love into a situation or people's lives as you share God's
transformation of the world. This is our mission as we join in Jesus'
mission to 'bring good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed'. Luke 4:18
"God created order out of disorder, cosmos
out of chaos, and God can do so always, can do so now - in our personal
lives and in our lives as nations, globally. The most unlikely person,
the most improbable situation - these are all 'transfigurable' - they
can be turned in to their glorious opposites. Indeed, God is transforming
the world now - through us - because God loves us."
Desmond Tutu God has a Dream: A vision of hope for the future
(Rider: London 2004 p. viii)
"Mission is the participation of Christians
in the liberating mission of Jesus. It is the good news of God's love,
incarnated in the witness of a community, for the sake of the world."
David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission (Orbis Books: New
York 2000)
From the above
quotations you can see the links. Mission begins in the very nature
of God as he reveals his love for the whole world. We are then called
to participate in the mission of Jesus, following his example in serving,
bringing healing, and accepting and valuing all. This happens in our
local community, where we can make a difference to the world, as much
as in the support for Trade Justice and Make Poverty History during
the last year.
Biblical passages
1 Samuel 3: 1-11
Luke 13:18- 21 and Matthew 13: 31 - 33. Parables of the mustard seed and
the yeast
Mathew 5: 13 - 16 Light on a hill. You are the salt of the earth.
Luke 8: 16 -18 A lamp on a stand
The call of Samuel provides
one model of listening and responding to God's call to new possibilities.
The call often involves a challenge to existing ways of living as Jesus
calls us to follow him to make a difference in the world.
 The symbolism
of darkness and light can be seen in these passages. It is in darkness
of night that Samuel hears the Lord calling to him, but by responding
to the Lord's call we become a light on a hill, a lamp on a stand. As
Peter says, God has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.
(1 Peter 2:9 NRSV)
You could explore the ways the stories show people living as light and
salt and then relate that to your own experiences.
Letting your light shine
During the service it would be good to hear of stories of transformation
that members of the congregation have been involved with and you could
encourage conversation in groups or with the person sitting near by to
tell their own stories. You could then have a short feedback session to
gather together these current stories which could then be incorporated
in the intercessory prayers.
Time of dedication
Loving, living God,
you created us,
you know us,
and you have called us.
You know that we are capable of causing hurt and pain
but also that we are capable of transforming the world,
Help us to work with your purposes.
Open our eyes to see your mission throughout the world and close at home.
(Name particular situations)
We are often so amazed that you use us,
but you only have our hands and feet.
So we offer you our thankful hearts.
We offer to you our time and our talents
to be used so that your kingdom may come.
In the name of Christ we pray.
Amen
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