089 - Chapter 89

(Illustration: Deckham and Billy perform at Kidz Rock, also our annual Christingle service)

I remember once that the husband of a friend, once remarked that he didn’t go to church because churchgoers were all hypocrites! I don’t know how he worked that out as he never ever came to church. This was in the seventies.

So I replied, “Well one more won’t make too much of a difference, why not come long?”

Perhaps as Christians we need more of a flavour of wit and a touch of boldness to reach out to others and share our faith; and be confident about what we believe, but not opinionated nor insisting we are right and others are wrong.

This person was Frank, and a few weeks later, after his comment, some of our church congregation were attending the City Hall in Newcastle to hear the Revd David Watson, who was the speaker that evening. (I’ve mentioned him before in connection with Bob recommitting his life again as a Christian.) Frank offered to drive our minibus for us, and when we got there, he didn’t go home and return later as planned, nor did he want to wait outside, so he decided to come in with us.

That night a very powerful drama based on Mathew 7.23 was performed by a group called Riding Lights, which was all about Jesus knocking on the door of our lives; it showed a guy putting off answering the door time after time, during the many stages of his life; from childhood through to his old age, and when he ‘died’ and knocked on the door of heaven, there was no answer, then a voice boomed out, “Away from me I never knew you!” 

David Watson’s sermon followed the drama, and he pointed out over the audience, and stopped when he was pointing directly at Frank and asked, “Could you be that person, putting off God’s call?” Frank did respond that night to that call, he felt that God's message was directed at him, and he turned into one of the loveliest and most generous Christians you could ever hope to meet. 

But there are also people, who say with absolute certainty that church is not for them; they show no interest whatsoever!

Well, I’m interested in the reasons for their lack of interest in God. There are those prioritise so many other things in life, but not faith in God.

Perhaps we need to ask ourselves if society been brainwashed by TV soaps or dramas or films in which the villain, the wimp or the moaner is nearly always the Christian? 

Then there are those who have behaved deplorably, not just in our churches but in clubs and societies too elsewhere, where vulnerable people are exploited and abused.  But we should never accuse 'ALL' Christians of such behaviour, and tar them with the same brush, just because a 'FEW' have transgressed.. 

Of course many other interests are taking place on Sundays, with sport to watch on TV, children’s activities and holidays to organise. 

Not only that, many people are turning more to self-help and self-directed spiritualities. 

The decline in church attendance may even be partly due to an exodus of highly talented into house fellowships where worshippers have chosen a less formal type of worship, greater freedom and far more creativity?

The lack of interest could be due to a whole mish-mash of reasons, so what is the solution for churches today?

All the above reasons make me sad because the church that I know and love really certainly does care about community and outreach. It has its failings yes, but we have never claimed to be perfect.

In 2018 exciting new projects were beginning at Church of the Good Shepherd, Battlehill, the church where Bob and I worship. Julie Mooney the vicar led us in experimental outreach activities,  such as Messy Church for children with food, activities, games and Bible stories for children coming out of school; and another was ‘Little Shepherds’, a morning of activities for babies and toddlers with toys, educational activities, music, and food once more. Both of these gave the signal that our church cares about reaching out in love to others and about growth. Since then, Messy Church has now developed into ‘Kidz Rock’, a half hour children’s church full of fun and activities, music and puppets. 

We have an Open Mic session, every couple of months, which attracts a wide range of musicians from around the doors, who along with musicians from our church, take their turn singing to a good sized audience. 

One project called Warm Spaces welcomed passers-by who popped in for a chat and a cuppa, or a bowl of soup; it is now linked to the Cedarwood mobile shop, from the Meadowell, which provides food provisions for families, each week, in need of support, and we still provide the welcome and the warm space.

We also have regular Bible study, and a craft group called 'Sew and Socialise'. We offer Holy Communion each month at a local care home, and we sing carols at Christmas in the local shopping centre.

Our church space is open to the community for Guides, Brownies, Cubs, Weight watchers and  Pilates etc our building is theirs, and we reach out to people in the new estates through projects in the Rising Sun Country Park.

Two of us from church, Jean and I, led an Alpha course in 2019, for asylum seekers who had requested it. What a lively group it was; we used subtitles and translators, and we ate and chatted together about the Christian faith. I remember one session later on that year, where one young man commented; “Why have I not been told all of this before now?” His own country had not allowed access to the Holy Bible.

There was a real wonderment in his voice.

Compare their attitude with people in our own country who have grown cynical, incredulous, critical and deaf to believing in God, but I completely understand why people feel this way when Christians in the past, (and some in the present) have not displayed ‘true faith’ in action; but Jesus’ life was exemplary and cannot be faulted!

But how do we get the message out there that we’re open, we care, and we create spaces for those on the outside to come inside?

One way is to tell others, which is what I’m doing right now!

I can’t promise our worship at 9.30 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. on Sundays will be to everyone’s taste at our church, but people will always be assured of a warm welcome and a loving support.

My ideal church, (is there such a thing?) would be the kind of church my daughter described on the phone to me a while ago. Sarah has been leading an Alpha group in her church down south, comprising people of all ages and backgrounds, and they’ve just had their ‘away day’; and someone came in at the end of the day and remarked, “When I came in here, I felt I was walking into a family home on Christmas morning, where everyone already knew each other so well. I felt the love!

Are our churches like this? I would love to think so. Perhaps not yet, but we’re getting there.

Bob my husband says,

“The danger is that once a church thinks it has made it, it’s taken its foot off the pedal and it’s on the slippery slope to becoming a carpet warehouse!!