Here's a brief summary of our first evening together, last night (Taken from my ToggieTales blog)... let's reflect on this and dig a little deeper on Tuesday evening, back at Rosi & Jon's...
As a community of friends in and around Romford we're praying every evening this week and then non-stop, 24-7-style, from Friday evening until our community meal at midday on Sunday. In his email-intro, Jon summarised our hope... that God will "shine a light on who we are together", that we can discern and commit ourselves to our 'calling' together. Tonight was a good start.
Eleven of us gathered in Rosi and Jon's front room, illuminated by the candles, and soothed by tunes by LTJ Bukem and Sigur Ros. After Jon and Dewi introduced the week and invited us to share our expectations of the week together, we began to pray... and for ninety minutes or so we dipped in and out of prayer and conversation. We described pictures and read Bible-passages. We prayed for one another when that felt appropriate. And we listened carefully.
Below, I've summarised a bunch of the themes and pictures that emerged tonight. I realise that readers who are not part of our local community life may not 'get' some of this, nor feel the weight of it's significance, but that's OK. Please just pray for us, that we would be;
"intelligent and discerning in knowing him (God) personally, our eyes focused and clear, so that we can see exactly what he is calling us to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for us in Christ Jesus, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him - endless energy, boundless strength." (Ephesians 1, The Message)
"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for."
+ we need space to express our feelings and hopes
+ we may reach the end of the week and find a simple summary - our outcomes don't have to be profound and mysterious
+ this week is partly about healing and 'letting go', so that we can 'go'... individually and together
+ it's a pilgrimage, a journey. Holy Spirit, guide us...
+ our relationships are essential. We need to learn to love one another more deeply
+ we also need to receive the Father's pleasure and love... Father is delighted
+ "we want to know who we are, but we need to know who he is"
+ the first of Dewi's email questions (see our community whispers blog for the full list) was "What does our community mean to you?" Megan replied, "Trust" This felt significant
+ David re-told the story of Peter walking on the water to Jesus. Peter calls out, "If it's you Lord, tell me to come", and Jesus replies, "Come!" Perhaps we are calling out the same as Peter?
+ Dewi described a picture he'd had of the seasons, the process of life. Rosi said that this reminded her of rhythms of life, of action and reflection. Jon talked about seasons in relationships, which reminded me of the classic group-work forming-storming-norming-performing theory... perhaps we are to move into deeper, more authentic relationships
+ Drew took the seasons theme further and talked about them being slow. And obvious, I added. We can 'read the seasonal signs' fairly easily. Perhaps we could do the same in our community life - read the seasonal signs? Sue mentioned that we rest better in darkness, which Dewi and David followed with encouragement not to fear. "Do not be afraid... trust me, says the Lord. I love you!"
+ dipping back into prayer, we asked God to show us where we are afraid, where fear limits our generosity and hospitality and love-for-others, and to pour in his love... which drives out and displaces all fear.
+ we prayed for Jon and Richy and Karen specifically. Somehow that too felt part of our pilgrimage this week... part of the same searching process, towards our together-identity. Dewi affirmed that this week is about us, who we are and how we are together, not about an idea or a concept or a 'mission statement'. In expressing our love and care for towards one another, in 'fitting' the pieces of our lives together, a big picture will slowly emerge...
+ and then Ian wrapped things up a bit, suggesting that it all linked together... seasons, relationships, learning to trust deeply and love one another, which drives out fear. He read a verse from Ephesians about Jesus' "extravagant love". "I want to love extravagantly," he added. "If we want to move on as a community, a spiritual family together, then we have to move on in our love for one another."
Same time, same place tomorrow... :)
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