Cafe Church

This evening we had a very interesting church service. It was centred around the theme of celebration. A big thank you to all those who came along and brought some food. We have been using the theme from Michele Guiness's book entitled "The Heavenly Party" Using one of the clips from the National Gathering we used Michele's address to set the scene. She called the church back to rediscover is celtic roots which reflected the hebrew tradition much more than the Roman one. It was interesting to listen to the conversations during the service. A number of people were finding themselves challenged to think of Jesus in a different way. Could Jesus have been a fun loving person, with a great sense of humour, who loved his food and drink? A Jesus who was comfortable with young children on his knee. A Jesus who spoke so much about fellowship and discipleship much of which was centred around food and friendship. What kind of church would reflect this kind of Jesus? Next week we want to continue our evening service along the same format as this week. I'm hoping that we'll be joined by some of our friends from the Apostolic Church and indeed any other of the congregations in the town who don't have an evening service. I was hoping that we might have a service where we can share our stories of faith, sing some of our favourite praise songs and hear some songs of faith performed by others. So lets keep looking to for fresh ways to celebrate what it means to meet together on the first day of the week.

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4 Comments
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Posted By: Helmut   On: 10 Mar 2009   At: 9:32pm

I think that Jesus might have been quite relaxed. He knew what lay ahead, but he also knew where he was going and what for. That notwithstanding he did cry out on the cross.It reminds me of when I visited Scotland year after year (and too long ago). I would be quite merry beforehand, despite knowing of the tiresome journey ahead, because I well knew where I was going. And I would cry out on the road, stuck in a traffic jam, or standing by train from London to Edinburgh…

So perhaps it was not a fully blown party, but relaxed merriment.

I found Michelle’s views quite reviving considering the drab viewpoints I got taught to believe in.

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Posted By: Mike Munro   On: 10 Mar 2009   At: 7:27pm

I think there is a distinction between partying and fellowship, and believe Jesus shared a meal in fellowship rather than a party atmosphere.

Ever since Christians have done the same, and it is a great way of coming together in fellowship and really getting to know your brothers and sisters in a convivial atmosphere. There is also a place for having a party but meeting in fellowship over a meal will occur more frequently.

Like Margaret, I feel the Last Supper would not have been held in an atmosphere of celebration.

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Posted By: Margaret Young   On: 10 Mar 2009   At: 2:50pm

I attended the service ‘cafe’ style on Sunday evening and listened to Michelle’s talk from the National Gathering.  She spoke of the fun loving, party going Jesus and that she thought his last meal with the disciples would have been cheerful and fun.  I’m not so sure about that thinking that although the disciples did not know what lay ahead Jesus did and would his heart not have been very heavy indeed.  Someone in church said to me he would have enjoyed it though for the sake of his disciples.  I’m not sure.  This time of year and reading in scripture the lead-up to the arrest and crucifixion always causes me to struggle with thoughts of Our Lord’s horrific suffering.  Maybe that’s why I am thinking as I do about the ‘Passover’ or as we know it the ‘Last Supper’.  Others’ views would be most welcome to me.

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Posted By: James Hogg   On: 9 Mar 2009   At: 3:51pm

Your talk of imagining Christ in a new way reminded me of this campaign http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/250752.stm , i think sometimes i fall into the trap of viewing Christ of being passive, instead of being proactive. In a sense that His crucifixion happened to him rather than him choosing it, that he allowed the pain he went through to happen to him rather than postively choosing. I find latter to be more inspiring than the former, and this is the Jesus we need to tell people about.

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