On Good Friday, we met at the Lotts' at 11:30 for godly play, some creative 'stations' and homemade bread n soup. This will be our main Easter meet up because so many of us are away in the holls, so we celebrated the full Easter story, not just the events of Good Friday.
Anjali and Asher were baptised.
19 April: little SUNDAY. 3pm, at bandstand in Florence Park. We used the bandstand as our own locked room, imagining being the disciples in the weeks after Jesus's death and resurection. We used the dress to remind ourselves that doubt is a perspective, but that there are other perspectives too. We discussed fellowship, as described so eloquently by Brian McLaren in his book We Make the Road by Walking that we're using as a community resource at the mo.
In twos, we blessed each other one at a time as follows:
Any scars you have only make you a real person; you are invited to breath the holy spirit.
(take deep breath in and out)
Your weaknesses are accepted here; God invites you to be brave.
(take deep breath in and out)
Your doubts are like shadows cast by a rising sun – real and strong, from a particular perspective.
Join us in fellowship and listen to the women who have seen the sun.
(take deep breath in and out)
You are welcome with us in our fellowship of the foolish and fragile
to believe that God will use us to make the world a-new.
(take deep breath in and out)
Amen.
On the thursday following, we shared a community meal, and welcomed a visitor, Allan from Canada, and continued our discussion of fellowship. It was great to have Allan with us he only arrived in Oxford the night before(!) but had heard of us through friends who had been to Greenbelt. Here's what he thought of it:
"I had heard about mayBe through the the Greenbelt website. As I entered one of your homes, the welcome matt with the tea pot on it spoke of the wonderful hospitality I would experience. The open and free flowing conversation over a delicious meal, the meaningful conversation of your study about the disciples following Easter, and the concluding prayer time from the Wee Book ... All of this contributed to my sense that here was a valuable way to live out and accompany one another on our faith journey and the various experiences that life brings.
Thanks so much for your gracious and full-hearted welcome."
- Allan
