An Interesting Conversation

While chatting with an interested colleague who has agreed to help me with the project, I realised she was 'post-church'. Having been to church for years she was left spiritually empty and people who seemed really friendly on a Sunday didn't want to know during the week. Church became something else to be fitted into a busy schedule that was eventually dropped. I was upfront that my ultimate aim was to 'start a church - but not as we know it'. I tried to explain as best I could that church needs to be simple and fluid, able to flow into every area of our lives. That people could cross that invisible 'boundary' that separates what we call secular and sacred without actually realising it. At this point the conversation got interesting. Half an hour later when we both realised it was definately time for another coffee we had explored and debated God and the church and my friend was looking forward to an experience of church that was more authentic and more 'doable' in a busy lifestyle. I think I have my first convert! (or is that a modernist statement?)

Here we go!

My little emerging church project is a coffee evening at our local charity shop. Some people from our church help out as volunteers but it is not managed or staffed from the church. I hope to bring together a group of regular customers and volunteers who like to come in really for company and to chat about life, the universe and everything. Some bring their problems and concerns, sometimes asking people to pray for them. My hope is that the coffee evenings will bring them together as a group to have some fun, support each other and that some will suddenly realise they are connecting with God in the process.

Why emergent carrot?

Why emergent carrot?

While thinking about a catchy title for this blog, I was interrupted by my 5 year old son who was so excited because the carrot seeds he had planted had started to grow. He described tiny leaves and a tip of orange poking through the otherwise bland soil. I had my title.

Emerging church is surely about sowing seeds and looking for what might happen. About the excitement of seeing something growing in the soil of our culture that looks on the surface too bland to support life until we remember it is here God is working. Journey with me as I try to put some theory on emerging church into practice, and reflect on that experience.