Church without a church

Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

From the Johnsonville Uniting Church:

During August, Sunday morning worship services have focused on The Word. On 5 August, the focus was on Spirited Conversations. The following is one of the spirited conversations, held between Anna Gilkison and Kathy Stirrat during the service.

Introduction (Anna)

Church is Wherever God’s People are praising.

At the Methodist Synod School of Theology during a discussion about issues facing the churches, every small group talked about buildings. We are preoccupied with worry about buildings and some people (!) think we should get rid of them, go back to our roots, become simple house churches again. But it isn’t that simple!

Anyone with a family who can’t afford to buy their own home knows how insecure that can make you feel. If we got rid of our buildings we’d feel the same insecurity, the same stress. We’d be limited in what we could do, not just for ourselves but for the community. Having a solid base for our ministry makes that ministry more effective. It also means we have a visible presence in the community.

Introduction (Kathy)

Church without a Church.

The Church is wherever God’s people are praising,  knowing they’re wanted and loved by their Lord.  The Church is wherever Christ’s followers are trying  to live and to share out the good news of God. That’s the first verse of a well known hymn by Carol Rose Ikeler. As the hymn says, the church isn’t the buildings, or traditions or rituals or a physical location necessarily, rather the church and God is wherever people meet together to pray and praise, to worship and welcome, to care and share, to seek and to serve others in the name of Christ. Read more

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