As we gather...
What do we do when we gather together on a Sunday?
You might think that’s a strange question.
“Well, we sing. We learn. We pray. We chat.” Maybe that’s how you’d answer? And….you’d be right. Those are the things we do when we gather.
But I guess my question goes deeper.
Let me try and explain…
Every Sunday the church gathers. We come together. From our individual, separate lives, we gather. Or maybe we could say we re-gather.
And what’s the point of gathering?
It’s something to do with the story around which we gather. The common story we share.
We gather together because we have a common story. It’s the story that binds us.
We know that story as The Gospel.
The Good News.
The good news of all that God has done, is doing, and will do, through Jesus, to deal with sin and brokenness, to draw people back into relationship with himself, and to restore all things.
Stick with me…
So when we gather, how do we tell the story? How do we remind each other of the story? How do we celebrate the story? How do we ‘story’ each other with the Gospel?
Liturgy.
Maybe it brings to mind meaningless ritual; ancient prayers; empty ceremony.
But literally, liturgy means “the work of the people”.
And it’s speaking into what and how God’s people, when they gather, live the story…tell the story…remember the story.
So back to my original question.
What do we do when we gather together on a Sunday?
How do we, as Neighbourhood, ‘story’ each other?
Let me give you an example of what I mean….
Not that we do it every week, but when we say the Apostle’s Creed we’re reminding each other of the story.
When we pray a prayer of confession we’re reminding each other not only of our sin, but also of the forgiveness Jesus offers.
You get the idea….these are ways that we remember and live God’s story.
So final question…..
Are there ways / things / ideas you have as to how we, Neighbourhood, can share God’s story together each week when we gather?
And that wasn’t meant as a rhetorical question.
Ideas and suggestions gratefully received.