During Lent, Family@10 explored the Ten Commandments, distilled into the two great commandments ‘love God/love others’, ultimately becoming one BIG swirling, whirling commandment to love!
To help us with ‘destination love’ over 2 weeks, during our reflection time and with guiding questions, members young and older explored our hopes for Family@10 worship, community and outreach life.
As adults discussed and shared their hopes and dreams for worship, community, outreach, mission, growing in faith, support for children, young people and families; KidsChurch made an inspirational video with the title ‘I’d like to see that!’
Each young person shared what might help grow Christian community and what would encourage them to come to church more often.
The following are their hopes for Family@10 services:
- “More kids our age! With a night service and a mosh pit!”
- “I’d come every week if there was a basketball ring at church!”
- Activity table with things we could do
- Church on Sunday night and having a concert
- More happy and fun songs
- More toys in church like cars
- More arts and crafts
- Dress up day
- Making lego and other animations
- Bean bags
- More interactive activities
- Food during and after the service
- Making our own videos
- More play things like big equipment
Motivated by our young leaders, over the weeks their seeds have bloomed quickly with the addition into Family@10 of beanbags, nourishing yummy food, more arts, crafts and activities table, interactive activities, toys, happy and fun songs… However as yet we have no mosh pit, but we live in hope!
After Easter it was ‘Messy Thomas’ Church with Family@10. A number of activity stations explored The Thomas story.
Because Thomas was a risk taker, daring, showing vulnerability, like a forensic scientist delving into Jesus’ wounds looking for evidence of the truth, Jesus made the grand statement “Happy who believe without seeing”. We are the happy inheritors of Thomas’s doubt. We believe without seeing. Thomas did the hard work for us.
Thomas was a courageous religious rule-breaker – touching a dead man, breaking Jewish cleanliness laws. What courage Thomas showed.
WHAT THOMAS WANTS – John 20: 19-31
Thomas knows all about crucifixion.
Knows the nails driven into the victim
really tear the flesh,
damage the bones.
And he knows that this
is a crucifying world,
with all its violence,
greed and oppression
still hammering nails into the hands of justice,
still thrusting spears through the ribs of love,
still hanging mercy and kindness to die
and sealing up the tomb.
Thomas knows all about it.
So he knows that any real resurrection
will have to come out of ruin,
will have to come out of suffering,
will have to come out still bearing the scars
inflicted by the unjust world.
Ask him not
if he believes in a God
merely greater than suffering or death;
any God worth the title
would surely prove immortal,
who may be able to pretend our pain
but could never share it in truth.
No, what Thomas wants to see
is the Lord who rises from
death by crucifixion,
A Poetic Kind Of Place
Andrew King’s Lectionary Weblog
A number of Family@10 members enjoyed reading this poem. While other’s created pieces reflecting on Thomas and Jesus.
Recently the Good Shepherd theme was explored through a ‘secret voices’ activity, reminding us we need to listen and learn and become familiar with voices – like God’s voice calling us, guiding us, shepherding us towards loving others/loving God.
The AFL skill of shepherding , reminded us as Christians and community it takes skill, strategy, teamwork, keeping your eyes on the goal. We reflected on the times we live in, with social cohesion fracturing, global wars pulling communities apart, young people being seduced through social media echo chambers and crises upon crises. In our times even more we need the Good Shepherd herding us in ways of love, truth, justice, inclusion, peace making.
We wrote prayers asking for active guidance from God to – “Shepherd me to …. Herd MUC to…. In our world Shepherd…”
Over the Lent and Easter season Family@10 has been blessed with new folk, younger and older, joining us and new folk bringing their friends to church to experience worship with MUC! What a miracle!!
Last Sunday the young people were given origami stars which they signed with their names, placed on the poster reminding us to follow the light of Christ in words and actions and reminding us of our baptism prayer to ‘shine like a star in the world’.
Amelie Smith who was baptized last Spring and who loves coming to church with her mum is finding Christian family and learning about the faith she has been baptized into. Another miracle!!
Our little flock of lambs, who gamble to church, are curious, alive with Jesus Spirit and enthusiasm, asking questions and loving being a part of the MUC Christian family.
The older sheep, our wise elders continue to shepherd and remind us Jesus is the gate, the Good Shepherd and God’s green pastures are awaiting us all.
Sally