Fresh from a staff team retreat, Rev. Andy. reflects on how each one of us has an exciting opportunity to Be Church Together.
A friend of mine in the U.S.A. planted a church a few years ago called ‘Church Together.’ They gathered around these principles:
~Worshipping together in Christ, because He is our hope.
~Growing together in community, because we need each other.
~Serving together for our city, because all are loved.
As a new growing church they have had to be intentional in all of these areas, and stick together to build the church of Jesus Christ in their city. It hasn’t been easy. It is the same here for us in Tiverton. Often we want certain things and have individual preferences. However, Christ calls us to be the body, each bringing our own parts to form the one and to be looking out for and serving one another. We are each called to be the church - it is not something we just attend.
On a staff team away day last month we looked at how a team should function, using the acronym of Together, Everyone, Achieves, More. Reflecting on 1 Cor.12, Philippians 4:13, 2 Tim 3:16 and the great commission and commandment in Matthew, we talked, prayed and sought the leading of the Holy Spirit. We have intentionally decided to be more together! We are doing this through a weekly meal together, weekly prayer together, monthly communion together and quarterly retreat together. By doing this, we hope to grow in Christ and in love and service to one another and the church as a whole.
I wonder what you picture ‘Church Together’ here in Tiverton looking like…?
The church gathered is powerful! Yet doing church on Sundays is not why the church exists.
Being the church together in community requires a lifestyle of worship and witness that extends beyond just 'doing church' corporately on Sundays.
Being the church is daily! It includes worshipping together, serving together, loving together, learning and growing together, praying together, engaging culture together, being salt and light together, and so much more.
I love being together with you, worshipping, praying. Can I encourage you, and let's be church together and let Jesus transform us and the community around us.
Every Blessing
Andy
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