Change is never easy
This last week has been a busy one. Over the past two years we have been working on refurbishing a former clothing factory/warehouse for our new ministry centre. Two weeks ago we moved our offices in, and last week some of our congregations started meeting at our new place.
This were some of my reflections as I spoke to one of our congregations who are largely made up of people who four years ago merged four church together to create Northern Community Church of Christ. They are couragous people!
Change is never easy. Anything new - even something wonderful - means letting go of the old.
At Northern Community we have seen significant change over the last four years.
As I thought about the changes that have happened - I am proud of us as we have sought to be the hands and feet of Jesus
Change in four churches from Preston, West Preston, Ivanhoe and Northcote to one Church.
Selling four Church buildings that for some of your contain special memories. They are apart of your story. Your wedding, your baptism, watching your children grow up. Special places because they are special memories.
Change in ministry teams.
Change as we have explored what it means to be church in this post-modern and new missional context - church in café, church in home, Church in times during the week, Church over a meal like our connect congregation - different styles and different places for us as we connect with people who wouldn’t normally come to our Church experience
Change in our leadership structures as we created our new constitution to guide our church. A different way to operate!
Change as we have created a new ministry centre that does not revolve around one worship space but rather we have a number of spaces offering suitable spaces for diverse styles of worship. We have not built a Church - as we already have that/are that - we have built a space that will be used for community, spirituality and compassion. And it will not be the only building we use for this as we truly seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the northern suburbs.
We change again today.
What are your emotions? What are you hopes, your fears? What is happening for you inside today as we meet for the first time as this congregation at this new facility?
Communion
Reflect on the road to Emmaus..
This is a story of gain and loss, of joy and sorrow, of life and death, of union and separation. It is a story that each of us carry with in us. Which one of us has not said farewell to someone, felt a great heartache and deep sadness, wanted to stop the process, or wondered when the ache inside would ever leave? Which of us have not felt newness, freshness, hope and rejuvenation at times. Sometimes we can’t have one with out the other.
This disciples were experiencing the loss of their leader - some of you here carry the loss of your former churches.
The disciples were experiencing the joy of meeting Jesus again - some of you are experiencing the joy of reaching this place.
Sadness and Joy can be experiences at the same time.
And it is in the midst of this that Jesus connects with us.
For the disciples they later met Jesus on the beach and had breakfast - recognizing that his presence remained with them.
Today we break bread too - by sharing the bread and the wine we also recognize the presence of Jesus.
Our task of creating a Church is not finished by moving in here. This is just a step and not our destination. We break bread and share the cup today recognizing that it is Jesus himself who leads us, empowers us and loves us. It is Jesus very life, death and resurrection that we remember in this moment.