Sunday 2nd February 2025 – Mission – Year of Engagement
Mission is God’s invitation to everyone to join in the Divine Dance.
2025 is the Diocesan Year of Engagement, when we are challenged as churches and individuals to engage with our communities. It is only through building relationships with people that we are able to engage in mission.
How do we do this practically?
My shelves have books entitled ‘Everyday Evangelism’, ‘Developing Healthy Churches’, ‘Online Mission and Ministry’, ‘Creating Missional Worship’, all of which should be a guide to mission, that act of inviting people to join in the Divine Dance.
The best advice I’ve found comes from ‘Chav Christianity’, which has a section entitled ‘Get off your backside and tell your friends about Jesus’. And it simply says to tell your story, share your faith, and share your hope.
Peter tells us to:
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15)
We don’t/shouldn’t need to initiate conversations about faith. If we are living Christ-like lives, people will be wanting to know what it is that makes us different. The way in which we live, think, act, talk, should attract people. A chorus I learned in my teens says:
They are watching you, marking all you do, hearing the things you say.
Let them see the Saviour as He shines in you, let His power control you every day.
When we are in the shops in Bromyard, when we’re waiting for the bus to Hereford or Worcester, when we’re at a show or concert at the Conquest, when we’re exercising in the Halo gym, when we’re walking the dog, when we’re at Stoke Lacy coffee morning.
If you want to engage with the community, don’t use the self-service checkouts in the Co-op, do always say ‘Hello’ to a
passing stranger, end every conversation with a simple ‘God bless’. It may take a little time, but doors will begin to open! A thought ascribed to St Francis of Assisi:
‘Preach the gospel, use words if necessary’
Rev Phil
