Tuesday 17 March 2009
Rydal Waters
Tomorrow we head of for what will probably be the last walk with one person who began this journey with me, and has come to nearly all the walks. We are going to head round Rydal Water, and if the weather is as clear and warm as today, it should be fantastic.
Reflection...
As the time comes nearer to writing up the walking church for the college assignment, my mind is turning to Theological Reflection - theology as a critical reflection on faithful practice. So reflecting critically on our walking church as a way of being church raises many more questions than it answers.
God has been central to our time together, and discipleship has for me been a rich experience of searching out answers to some difficult questions that do not sit comfortably in the institutional church. 'Theology emerges as a practical problem-solving and inductive discipline, which connects with practical issues in a way that illuminates and empowers...' (p 5).
The Walking Church has been an opportunity to experiement in a very small way other forms that church can take. It has highlighted many positives and also the difficulties with all forms of church life. It requires a drive from one or two people in the initial stages to become established - and a more regular pattern to the walk than we managed.
Over the last week I have been reflecting on other walks and journeys in the Bible - the Walk to Emmaus, the journey Jesus took to the garden of Gethsemane, the walk to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the walk Jesus took to his own death, the journey of the Israelites after leaving Egypt for the promised land - the examples are endless.
The time while walking or journeying to another place are rich times of personal reflection and communication with others. The process of getting to another place provides a rich time that is as valuable as is reaching the final destination. This is what is exciting about the cafe church - there is a long way to journey, but the journey is spiritually refreshing and engaging, with Christ at the centre as we move forward. The Walking Church is another form of deep spiritual refreshment.
God has been central to our time together, and discipleship has for me been a rich experience of searching out answers to some difficult questions that do not sit comfortably in the institutional church. 'Theology emerges as a practical problem-solving and inductive discipline, which connects with practical issues in a way that illuminates and empowers...' (p 5).
The Walking Church has been an opportunity to experiement in a very small way other forms that church can take. It has highlighted many positives and also the difficulties with all forms of church life. It requires a drive from one or two people in the initial stages to become established - and a more regular pattern to the walk than we managed.
Over the last week I have been reflecting on other walks and journeys in the Bible - the Walk to Emmaus, the journey Jesus took to the garden of Gethsemane, the walk to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the walk Jesus took to his own death, the journey of the Israelites after leaving Egypt for the promised land - the examples are endless.
The time while walking or journeying to another place are rich times of personal reflection and communication with others. The process of getting to another place provides a rich time that is as valuable as is reaching the final destination. This is what is exciting about the cafe church - there is a long way to journey, but the journey is spiritually refreshing and engaging, with Christ at the centre as we move forward. The Walking Church is another form of deep spiritual refreshment.
Sunday 1 March 2009
Cafe Church
One of the outcomes of the walking church is perhaps the confidence to stop talking about an emerging form of church and actually join one. The cafe church in Bowness began 5 weeks ago, meeting in Costas on a Sunday afternoon. We have been going as a family, and are excited about how this new form of church in South Lakes will emerge. We have been discussing how it will develop and move forward. Our children are enjoying going to church - and watching the dvds. Our older son was amazed that we would be able to watch films like Finding Nemo - he couldn't see how God could be seen in the film - that is, until we explored together the issues that the film raises.
My vision is now that the walking church will become a part of the cafe church - that different interest groups will form within the cafe church and we will all come together on the Sunday afternoon. Already one lady is very involved in a music group. Other groups might include football and film. I have moved from being very disillusioned about church to excited about the future.
I am longing to go out walking again - I have been away, and visitors came for a week. When work quietens down in a couple of weeks we will be out again.
My vision is now that the walking church will become a part of the cafe church - that different interest groups will form within the cafe church and we will all come together on the Sunday afternoon. Already one lady is very involved in a music group. Other groups might include football and film. I have moved from being very disillusioned about church to excited about the future.
I am longing to go out walking again - I have been away, and visitors came for a week. When work quietens down in a couple of weeks we will be out again.
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