I love where I live, not in any tribal sense but I am proud to be a Northerner. Not that the culture or indeed the weather is perfect but there are aspects of Northumbrian culture, mixed with a Geordie upbringing and spirituality of the Community that are good and life-giving. The prospect of travelling what I hoped would be 6 hours but which turned out to be nearer 10 down to Sussex near the South coast on a Friday was not an altogether pleasant experience. It was, however, to be the beginning of a delightful weekend at Ashburnham Place with a church from New Maldon which is led by one of our friends, Jonny and his beautiful wife Kate. They are a great couple.
He, a Cockney, former Chelsea football hooligan now a church leader. No longer a hooligan, he supports a team of creative, theatrical well paid hooligans who are owned by a billionaire hooligan! The 250 plus people at the Church weekend were canny folk and it was lovely to see how Jonny and Kate’s presence in the church for the last two years is helping to heal wounds of the past (this is church after all!) and help bring about a much more relaxed, less religious, down to earth and real community of folk who in seeking God are trying to live out what it means to be the Community of Jesus in the mixed suburban culture in Surrey.
It was lovely to witness the gentle refreshing, fragrance of God move among the people and it was a privilege to journey with them and simply share the lessons we have learned in our own Community. It was great to be joined by Nick and Anita and in one of those kairos moments we concluded the day by leading people seamlessly from the Patrick Compline to Irish dancing. The movement from prayer to feet tapping, hand clapping, dancing and laughing evidenced a deep and significant work of the Spirit in the midst of the fun and frivolity.
Over the weekend I witnessed a shift from a religious congregation to a spiritual yet very human community. A movement from the superficiality of ‘fellowship’ to the greater realisation of friendship.
The church currently has to meet away from its building. It is probably one of the best things that has happened to the church in its history. People are learning what it is to be church outside of a building context, literally ‘church without walls’. My prayer is that when they return to their redesigned and revamped buildings that they will take the values and expressions of life and faith that they are learning now, being the community of Jesus in their neighbourhood.
It was also great to meet many of the South Korean folk who are part of the church. I have very happy memories of meeting South Koreans at the International Church in Genoa in Italy a few years ago.
It was also good to have a late night drinking session (I exaggerate it was only a glass of water – honest!) with the Director of Ashburnham Place. They are clearly going through some fairly major transition in their life and ministry and I was encouraged and encouraging them to draw further from monastic spirituality, old and new.
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