The new stuff

Thanks to Andrea for organizing this means of communication.
It is an important shared means of telling our stories as we find ourselves `out there `,  being salt and light, but as well as our individual stories, it becomes a means of hopefully establishing a more authentic function of the Body of Christ in these turbulent days.
It does mean that we cannot afford to ignore such opportunities as Andrea has created for us. We take a risky but promising path in these days, times have changed and opportunities for communication have expanded. Blogs and email provide a bigger picture for us all and hopefully will inform and enrich our face to  face fellowship ! So keep pounding those keyboards...

At the risk of repeating myself, can I share again something that I came across on Martin Scott`s blog some two years ago. Most may have seen this already, but I consider it a most helpful and concise summary of what groups of Christians like ourselves aspire to.
Elements that define Emerging Missional Communities (Us..).
1. Don't do mission - they are mission.  Breaking down sacred/secular divide, becoming agents of change.
2. They take Jesus as their model and are countercultural.  They try to answer the question as to what it means to be authentic Christian community.
3.  They are a subversive community, not willing to provide a religious service, not looking to bring people into something, but are within a (wider) community releasing the transforming life.
4.  They are a connected community and discover new ways of being together so they are made up of relational networks not structures.
5.  They are made up of both apprentices and ambassadors.  Always learning what it means to be a subject of the King and always representing the Kingdom.
6.  They are prophetic communities pointing forward, reaching after new expressions that model the coming age.

I aspire to these, though we are past the days of one person`s vision for a particular church. I simply share them as food for thought...
Every blessing, Keith