Being church

As the Easter holidays loom many would have been getting ready to go away for a break. Of course this year that will not be possible.  It would seem that holidays are on hold at the moment, we have cancelled a break to Filey.  So it might be a good time to look back at all those photos taken on our digital cameras that once there never seem to see the light of day again after an initial peruse.  We cannot  go to Filey but we can look at the pictures we took when last we were there. On doing this we came across a picture of a little tin church.  We had been out for Sunday lunch in a lovely pub and as we came out we noticed this church next door. At first we thought is was attached to the pub but on closer inspection discovered it was not. We went to have a look only to discover a lady coming out and about to lock up. "Would you like to have a look inside? " she asked. So in we went. 

It was built over a hundred years ago in memory of the son of a local man and had a beautiful stained glass window. What was interesting was that in its time it was not just a church on Sunday, but a school during the week. The same  sacred space was used for different things to meet different needs. 

At the moment our church buildings lay redundant, we cannot use them and so we have to find other ways of being church.  In the past that might have meant meeting together in different places or in the open air, we cannot do that at the moment either. We are left with sharing through different types of media and there is plenty out there to use, the Methodist Church website is creating quite a resource for us all. Like that little tin church we can all be adaptable in the way we celebrate our faith, maybe this is an opportunity for us all to explore different ways we can be church at this time.

Loving God

At this time when our 
church buildings 
are closed

St Thomas Gristhorpe

help us to find 
new ways of being 
your church.

Bind us together 
in your love
through the different 
ways we seek 
to share with 
each other.

We pray at this time 
for all those in the 
holiday industry
whose livelihoods 
are affected
by what is happening
May they find the help and support
they need at this time.

This we ask in the name of Jesus
Amen