Here's Sarah our Ordinand (that's kind of a fancy word for trainee vicar), with our latest blog post!
"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it". 1 Corinthians 12:27
This weekend, around 1000 children and young people will gather at Westpoint near Exeter for the annual SPREE camp. This is a great opportunity for churches and groups across the South West to come together to discover more of what following Jesus is all about. There will be opportunities for sport, craft, worship, games, Bible teaching, fairground rides, time with those you know and time to make new friends.
As I look ahead to being part of the team taking a group from St George and St Paul's to SPREE I am struck by the sense of being part of something bigger. These times of gathering with others from far and wide remind us that God's church extends far beyond Tiverton – He is at work everywhere!
Being aware of this can give us a much broader perspective on what Church is all about; it comes in all sorts of different shapes and sizes as well as traditions and expressions of faith. This variety tells us something about God and His creativity, the way He reaches to us in all our diversity, and how He longs for us to learn from one another.
This Sunday we have one of our international mission partners visiting us; this is a great opportunity for us to hear about how God is at work in a different culture to our own. Do come along at 9am or 10:45 to hear more.
If you are on holiday at all in the next few weeks I would encourage you to visit a church while you are away. If you're not going away you might even call in to another local church! Take some time to notice what is similar and what is different to your experience here. What did you like and what felt awkward? Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through all this – He may well have something really important to say!
We're part of a global church and that is an exciting privilege. Let's embrace it!
Every Blessing
Sarah
Ordinand
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