Pastoral Letter: Walking the way with Jesus today

​Dear friends,

When times are rough, people go back to the roots. This is why we, alongside the majority of URCs, are doing the same, asking in this time of membership decline and closing churches: What did the disciples do in the times of the early church? How did they grow their gatherings? What did they actually do?

What might their mealtimes have looked like without the physical presence of Jesus? How did they break bread? How could we break bread when we are gathered? How can we become more genuine, credible, alive, direct in our faith? 

We have an early model of church described to us in Acts 2, 42-47.
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​The 10 booklets of “Holy Habits”, based on these verses, look at each quality mentioned and come up with suggestions as to how we can make this a habit for ourselves, too, defining who we are and what we do to follow Jesus: 

1. fellowship 
2. breaking bread
3. prayer 
4. sharing resources
5. eating together 
6. gladness and generosity 
7. biblical teaching 
8. making more disciples 
9. serving 
10. worship

“Holy Habits” is described as a way of life, that, when faithfully lived day by day both privately and in our gatherings, encourages others to join in Walking the Way with Jesus today. 

June Colley and I have been looking into how we can use these 10 booklets for our group. 

We will explore a new habit every other month in gathered worship, home groups (which we will help set up, encourage and equip), in our outreach activities and indeed in every aspect of gathered and dispersed discipleship. Our start will be January 2019. 

Further details about this exciting journey for us will come in the September Newsletter. Watch this space!

Wishing you a lovely and sunny summer!

Yours in Christ, 

Ulrike

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