Take a Reflective Walk this Summer
As you may have seen the diggers have arrived in north Yate and the building of the new estate has begun. Well, so far there are the beginnings of a road and lots of containers. To reach out in everyday mission to the people of north Yate we have formed a small missional community. It's a small group from the parish who are being church not just in the church building but in north Yate itself.
One of the best parts of Brimsham is the park and we have decided to use the park as a sacred space. When the first Christians came to the UK, there were no church buildings. These Celtic and Anglo-Saxon saints lived alongside a pagan people and practised their faith in simple ways.
We are used to places like churches being sacred and when a new church is constructed we consecrate the building. The Celtic and Saxon saints began in their pagan world to make the place where they lived sacred by praying within it. Our missional community is looking to these saints for inspiration. We live in similar times where Christianity is a minority faith surrounded by a sometimes indifferent world. So like the saints of old we began with reflective walk around Brimsham park. Praying in a place can change that place in ways that we can notice but not understand. So by praying in our local community we will be inspired to serve our community also.
What is a reflective walk?
It's very simple, you begin by reading a short section of scripture. We read a portion of the woman at the well (John 4). Here Jesus promises that he will give her living water to quench her thirst. It was a very hot day when we walked and the would world seemed thirsty. We walked around the park quietly reflecting on the passage in relation to the world around us. The we left the part and talked about the scripture as we walked to the top of a hill. At the top of the hill we could see the new estate being built. We then prayed a blessing on the estate and all who will live and work there.
It's very simple and even inspiring thing to do. So over the summer give it a go in your own area of Yate. In September we will be launching a sermon series on everyday mission in community. The series is based on the letter of James and how we can bring our faith into our everyday life.