What are we here for?
WHAT IS THE CHURCH
?
The Church started as
the people of ‘The Way’ some time after the death of Jesus. Over the
centuries it has changed and developed, and the various ‘branches’ of
the worldwide Church do things differently from one another.
However, we can say
that the following points are characteristics of each local
church:
- a group of people
following ‘The Way’ of Jesus
- a place where
people gather to worship God
You can see that
‘church’ can refer both to a community of people and to a building.
So what more can we
say about a church community?
We are people:
- on a journey of
faith (in the Christian tradition)
- listening to God
and responding to God
- serving God
according to the pattern we see in Jesus
- of equal value -
caring for each other and supporting each other
- helping one
another develop in faith
- spreading
awareness of God’s presence and love
- caring for the
wider community, trying to recognise where God is at work and where
we might join in
- actively concerned
for the whole of God’s world in terms of justice, peace, and care of
the environment
- encouraging others
to follow ‘The Way’ of Jesus
A church building
is a place where the community gathers together to encourage the
above. Some people regard it as a ‘spiritual home’; others as a handy
place to meet. It is the community’s base from where we reach outward
to others.
What the church is / isn’t ……..
- somewhere to
reflect on daily life & the wider world
NOT a place of refuge from the world.
- somewhere to ask
hard questions and share ideas
NOT a place where someone tells us what to believe
- somewhere to meet,
have fun, encourage each other
NOT just a social club for good times with others like you
- somewhere that
promotes a vision and purpose
NOT your passport office for heaven
How is the church
organised?
In the Methodist
tradition churches are run by the people who make up the church
community.
The overall policy,
ministry and management are determined by the Church Council.
This is chaired by the minister, and made up of certain officeholders
and also of representatives elected by the church community at the
Annual Church Meeting (held in April/May).
Day to day leadership
is in the hands of a leadership team, including the minister
and those known as stewards (elected by the Annual Church Meeting).
Individual people are appointed by the Church Council to look after
particular aspects of church life.
At Grenoside
Methodist Church, the Church Council meets 3 times a year and
currently comprises 14 members. Other people are welcome to attend
meetings.
The Leadership Team currently comprises 7 people (subject to Church
Council confirmation), including the minister, the 3 stewards, and 3 people from the church community.
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