2008 Letter No 10

Each month Bill writes a pastor's letter for our monthly church magazine called 'The Messenger'. Here is the letter for October 2008:

This summer we have had two successful and enjoyable church outings, first to Gorsley in Herefordshire and more recently to Rhyl in North Wales. People have enjoyed a day out together with members of our own fellowship, people from other churches and people from no church. And despite the wet weather we have had in recent weeks, both days were blessed with sunny summery weather. I hope that we will arrange more trips in the future, and I know that I am not alone in this.

But what purposes do such outings serve?

Well, they offer a relaxing day of recreation, and that is a good thing in itself. God thinks that relaxation and recreation are important. You don’t have to read beyond the second chapter of Genesis to discover this (Genesis 2:1-3). The principle of Sabbath rest is an important one in the Bible, indicating that God does not just want us to do things, but to rest as well – and to use that rest as an opportunity to remember and honour him. We were created for work and for rest. We should neglect neither of them.

But church outings are not just about rest, relaxation and recreation – important as these are. Church outings provide an opportunity for fellowship. In the New Testament the word usually translated into English as ‘fellowship’ is a rich word indicating a deep mutual sharing of our life in Christ with one another and with God. It is more than mere friendship, but it is not less than friendship. Fellowship involves more than a friendly smile, but it does not involve less. We cannot really begin to express our fellowship together if we do not know each other, and church outings provide an opportunity for people to enjoy each other’s company and get to know one another better than before.

This sharing in fellowship is not only between folk in our own church. In Gorsley we met with people from many Baptist churches across the Midlands for the Heart of England Baptist Association Family Day. In Rhyl we met with friends who are members of the Baptist church there. This sharing in fellowship with Christians from other localities, both those who are old friends and those whom we have not previously met, is really important. It is a way of recognising and celebrating the fact that God’s Church is bigger than any one congregation. It lifts up our eyes to part of the wider picture of what God is doing and of his family in different places.

And as we enjoy each other’s company and celebrate together those outside the church can get a glimpse of our life together. There is love among us as a fellowship of God’s people. It is good when others are included in the circle.

On occasions, at the end of a meeting or a service, we join hands together to say the Grace: “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, evermore” (2 Corinthians 13:14). I sometimes think that we should not all join hands in a circle, but rather should join hands in a half-circle so that there is space for other people to join in who are not yet among us. It symbolises that we should not only look inwards at one another, but also outwards to others whom God is yet drawing to himself. It is good to be reminded of that fact.