Thinking Ahead

During January around the Synod we shared in Easter Conversations. What do we do at Easter? What does the Bible say about Easter? What is Easter about for us? How do we go about sharing Easter with others?

Over 140 people in four different locations shared lots of ideas and thinking as to how we can engage with Holy Week and Easter and use these festivals as an opportunity for evangelism. We heard, for example, of how one church gave away hot cross buns on Good Friday. Another church celebrated Easter by giving away £1 coins as a token of the generous gift of Jesus. Lots of interesting conversations resulted from people asking why they were doing this. A third church created a Holy Week space for people to go in and reflect. Etc. etc. etc.

Kingdom 'Pilot Projects'

Robert Warren suggests that a church ought to be "a living demonstration and 'pilot project' of the kingdom of God ("The Healthy Churches Handbook" p. 36). He is talking about how we are signposts of and to the kingdom. I really like that idea of being a kingdom 'pilot project'. It is challenging but also stacked with possibility. It is a reminder that God uses us and, at the same time, a real challenge to be an effective church demonstrating and practicing kingdom values.