Readings: Exodus 36:1 – 5, Matthew 16:13-20
Today is our patronal festival, the day we remember St Edward the Confessor whom the church is named after and in the last few years this has also been when we’ve had our annual gift day. A time to focus on what God has been doing here and what we are aiming for in the year ahead. I shared about Edward earlier but the key is he was known for being a man of great faith. And he was responsible for the building of the original Westminster Abbey begun in 1042 and is in fact interred in the later – current – abbey.
And as we think this morning about rebuilding this church, revitalising it for the next season of worshipping life here we might take encouragement from Edward as one who built up the church – literally – but also showed a different way of leading, not focussed on the things that others prioritise like wealth and power but on goodness, faithfulness, trust, peace and so on.
Last week I talked about giving and why we give to the work of the church, you can catch it online if you didn’t hear it. Today in our Exodus reading we heard about the building of the original temple – the tabernacle – which was moved around as the people moved around the desert.
Led by Moses after a word from God the people were invited to give of all they had and of all their skills to build this tabernacle, a place of worship to God. But the tabernacle was also at the heart of their community, as they travelled around, it became the central point in the places they stopped and stayed. Worship of God was at the heart of their community.
That is what all churches should be – a worshipping heart of the community but also for the community: at the centre metaphorically, physically and spiritually. This is what we are seeking to revitalise and grow here at St Edward’s. A church that is at the heart of our community, a place of worship where people can meet the Lord, but also a place where they can find God’s love shown in practical ways.
Our vision for the last few years has been about our church as community, welcome and hope – a church at the centre of the community, welcoming all into a family, and proclaiming hope – the gospel of Christ in all we do. That vision remains the same, and our strategy team – reporting to PCC – has been helping to keep us on track and focussed on key targets towards our vision.
Last year for our gift day we were focussing on being missional and outward looking – this is key for us to grow, we raised money to build our community garden, employ a children, families and schools worker and towards a café manager for the Mustard Seed. As a result of last years’ gift day (and some grant funding) we employed Paula who I am sure we will all agree is doing a fabulous job. We built our community garden, and exciting news, we have just appointed a café manager – more news on that in a few weeks. What a year it has been! And those are just a couple of the highlights.
While being missional remains a key focus and we need to keep funding our CFSW role, this year we felt we needed to think about our resources. A lot of what we have done since I arrived has been about setting good foundations for the next stage of the life of St Edward’s. Things that feel a little dull if I’m honest but are vital, like making sure our paperwork and policies are up to date, putting in place good and efficient structures, putting new teams together to oversee areas of church life or take on responsibilities, and more, so that the structure and working life of the church is ready for what comes next, for more people, for growth, and to be equipped for the next X years.
A big part of this which we really need to look after, and perhaps our biggest resource is our building. We might think of this part of the building as being relatively modern but it was built in the 1960s which means it is almost 60 years old and many areas need some attention. In order to be in the best place to see our vision come to fruition we need to invest in our building so that it is fit for purpose for the foreseeable future. We have chosen some key areas to focus on this year which I will share in a moment, that will be part of a larger programme of works, things like the roof, heating system, chairs for example will need to be addressed for example in the coming years.
For now, one of the key areas we need to look at is accessibility. We are an inclusive church which means we want to be open, and welcoming, and accessible to all. This is wider than physical access but as a starting point on this we want to really get our building access much better. If you are able to walk down steps fine then you may not have even noticed that the level entrance is on the opposite side to the car park! And the automatic door is broken and has been for years. We need to address all this and get our building fully accessible.
And accessibility actually also links into our sound and lighting system. Our screen is not visible from much of the church and is only really usable after dark because of light on the screen and its position, and is not ideal for anyone with reduced eye sight.
But more than that, the sound and visual system is old and often has issues, it can’t support live music well, is difficult to update and then and on top of that the lighting system went wrong several years ago and has never worked properly since!
These things may not feel as exciting as employing someone or building a garden but they are vital to the future of church. If we continue to grow and have a thriving congregation but the building is falling apart that will hinder all that we are doing.
Imagine for a moment this church in 5-10 years time. What would it look like to you?
Our worship and prayer is of course the engine room, it’s the life blood that powers up this church and us for a wider purpose. Services are thriving, people are being drawn in by the welcome, the love they receive here and the life and activity that happens here. I picture the outside, people are drawn into the space by a garden being tended by a team that has grown from people who live in the area coming to work alongside church members, veg are growing and being given away to visitors, Kids are running around in the space having fun, wildlife is thriving, perhaps we even have our own bee hive?
People are drawn to the entrance of the building which looks open and inviting. It is clear this is a place where all are welcomed from the signs outside, the ramp that enables those in wheelchairs to come in the front door with everyone else, as well as some stairs for those who can’t do ramps, and the smiling faces welcoming them in at the door. As they come in it is warm and dry, perhaps even powered by renewable energy, double glazed and feels like coming home, even the chairs are comfortable!
They come into a space that is a hub for the community, multi purpose and set up for all kinds of uses. A space that is used for community meetings, toddler group, concerts, school visits, lunches, and more, at all times of the year, it is a huge blessing to the local people. The café is open 4 days a week, and on top of amazing food, provides a real place of safety, of comfort and home to many who live locally.
Partnerships are growing with local organisations to meet the needs of locals and St Edward’s is known as the place to go when you need help, support and a friendly face.
This is what we are growing together.
In our Exodus reading we heard that it wasn’t just what people gave who built up the tabernacle, it was also people giving of themselves, of their skills, of who God had made them to be. I talked last week about giving of what we can, I know some of us may not be able to give right financially right now but we can give of who we are and we can all pray.
I repeat from last week:
We are all St Edward’s. We are all in this together and we all have a part to play to see this church revitalised. Before I arrived the future of this church was hanging in the balance. It was only thanks to the Bishop sticking her neck out for this place, for you, that we get another shot. And that is what we have been doing together.
We have only grown in the last few years thanks to all of you, giving of your time, of your skills and of your generosity. This is teamwork. So thank you to all you have given to this vision and to this church. And I want to encourage you to keep on committing to this vision and this church. To continue to give of your time and talent and finances. Because I truly believe that together we will continue to revitalise this church, we will see more people coming to know the Lord and we will continue to grow as a centre for our community and our parish.
Amen
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