As I walked in, I noticed the sign which said,
‘Welcome to St Mary’s. A Living Church in an ancient building’.
This happened yesterday when we were out geocaching. We had just found the cache at the Great Bardfield Parish Church and we decided to go in and have a look around before moving on.
After reading the welcome sign in the porch area, we tried the door and entered.
The church wasn’t just open, there were people there serving tea and cake (BONUS!). We were made to feel welcome, invited to use the toilet and they even refilled our water bottles.
We were expecting to have a look around a historic building but instead we met people.
Our experience was of so much more than an ancient building.
What are your hopes for the church you are a part of? Is your church obsessed with its building or is there primarily a focus on being a living church?
Do we think that we just go to church on Sundays or do we accept that we are the church?
Jesus said that he would build his church, but don’t think that he really meant buildings!
Will we become part of the living church that Jesus is longing to build up?