Last week we started to think about what it means to be CHURCH – to be a body made up of people with many different skills, and gifts and talents. We celebrated our differences: how TOGETHER we can be so much more than any of us alone.
But while this celebration of diversity is really important, there is more to it than we might first think.
Yes, God loves us and uses each of us just as we are… warts and all…
But AS HE USES US he is also shaping us into something more. Something better. Something deeply rooted in HIM, and intricately interwoven with those around us in the church.
And so that’s what we were exploring in our second session: asking
“how do we grow as Jesus disciples?”
Gathering and connecting
Near the start of our gathering, we watched this video of a seed putting down roots…
Before picking up on one of the letters written to the early church that used the imagery of a plant putting down roots.
6 Now that you have welcomed the Anointed One, Jesus the Lord, into your lives, continue to journey with Him and allow Him to shape your lives. 7 Let your roots grow down deeply in Him, and let Him build you up on a firm foundation. Be strong in the faith, just as you were taught, and always spill over with thankfulness. The Voice
Exploring
We spilled out into different activities to help us unpack these words, and to start to ask God what he might be saying to us as individuals in the places where we live and work… and to us as a young church here in Northstowe. Like last week, there were 5 stations for people to move between as we thought about being thankful and rooted.
1. Busy Station
To get us thinking we started working together on helping something grow: planting up what will because a beautiful pot plant to put by the school gates.
And we also made “thankful trees” — weaving together different coloured pipe cleaners (chosen to represent different things we were thankful for) — making sure that their roots were deep and wide!
2. Chat zone
In the chat zone, we were talking about things that help us grow — as friends, as church, and in our faith…
We had some particularly good discussions about how and when we pray, with the “Pray as you go” app getting a good recommendation.
3. Listening Zone
Here, people were invited to ponder again growing seed video, as well as reflect on the words in this song…
4. Colouring station
Our colouring today came from ‘Doodle through the bible’. You can download a free printable from their website.
5. Reflection Station
We had two Reflection Stations out today. The first offering a range of baptism resources…
and the second encouraging deeper engagement with Paul’s letter to Colossians…
Digging deeper into Scripture
Why not read Colossians from cover to cover. It will take about 10 mins… (you might like to try out the YouVersion website or app, which has many different bible translations, including some audio versions you can play from your phone or computer)
Or dig deeper into just one chunk, perhaps with Tom Wright’s reflections on Colossians 2:1-7 in his Paul for Everyone series
Or try Dwelling in the Word, perhaps focusing on Colossians 2.6-7; 3.15-17. Read the passage of scripture over several times… listening out for what God might be bringing to the fore for you. Perhaps one idea, one phrase, or even one word. Make a note in your journal, and revisit it later in the week.
Reflecting on faith-in-action: what might help you grow
1. Read the reflection on “Devotion” from the Reflect booklet– and ask yourself how you are seeking to put down roots and grow in your faith. Make some notes in your journal and revisit it later in the week.
2. This week’s Explore Journal page suggests drawing a pie chart of your week, and thinking about how you can grow in your faith during different activates.
Celebrating and Worshipping Together
After all our focus on thanksfulness, it seemed importatnt to recognise that this inviation to root deeply in the faith isn’t about being glib. In fact, it is often in the difficult times — in the mud and rain and the hard work of it all — that we grow the most. So, as we finished colouring our pictures, or modelled things our of playdo, we listened to Fishcy Music’s “Part of your plan” before sharing in the Lord’s Prayer.
Finally, encouraged by Pauls’ words in Colossians 3, we sand a final song together, before commissioning each other with our familiar blessings.
Let your hearts fall under the rule of the Anointed’s peace (the peace you were called to as one body), and be thankful.
THE VOICE Colossians 3:16-17
Let the word of the Anointed One richly inhabit your lives. With all wisdom teach, counsel, and instruct one another. Sing the psalms, compose hymns and songs inspired by the Spirit, and keep on singing—sing to God from hearts full and spilling over with thankfulness. 1Surely, no matter what you are doing (speaking, writing, or working), do it all in the name of Jesus our Master, sending thanks through Him to God our Father.
Beth's Blog 