Christ known in us

‘Reaching out with hope,’ a recent BBC Alba programme investigated three Scottish churches which, at a time when in general church attendance is in decline, are bucking the trend through innovative engagement with their local communities.

The churches featured were the East Church of Scotland in Inverness, Kilmallie Free Church in Lochaber, and Niddrie Community Church in Edinburgh, but their activities are typical of what’s being done in many churches across the country as people discover new ways – or more accurately rediscover forgotten ways – of being church.

These changes were neatly symbolised by Chris Macrae, minister at Kilmallie, as he contrasted the new church building with its predecessor. The 1960s building had opaque windows so that worshippers couldn’t see out, and passers-by certainly couldn’t see in.  The new structure has large windows enabling those outside to view the welcoming interior, and those inside to reflect on God in the context of Lochaber’s natural beauty.

Clearly a church which doesn’t turn its back on God’s everyday, down-to-earth gifts when it focusses on God, a church open to, and part of its local community.

Chris’s wife Anna said of the work they are doing ‘People see the church in a new light. They see it as a place where they can get support and fellowship, and witness God’s love.’

In the programme we saw love being shown in the name of Jesus to parents and toddlers, school kids and teenagers, senior citizens, and to folk with mental health issues, folk struggling with alcoholism and other additions, folk with chronically dysfunctional lives.

It’s a love which must often persevere. As Derek Morrison, who works with the East Church on the Raigmore Estate and serves as chaplain at Beechwood House and Cale House in Inverness put it ‘You’ve got to stay with guys when they fall. It’s about unconditional love, not judgement.’

We watched as this love showed people in crisis that change was possible, helped them confront the need for change in their lives, and pointed to the power of God in Jesus as the source of change.

In reaching out, these Christians are convinced of the truth which they have already experienced in their own lives – that the gospel preached from the pulpit delivers power in dark places, that Jesus is transformational.

‘Coming to know God is an amazing experience,’ said Lachie Macinnes of Kilmallie who previously wrestled with alcoholism.

Some other thoughts about the programme:

• Mez McConnell, pastor of the Niddrie church mentioned the need for a church to show genuine commitment to its community. You must show, he said that you’re ‘there for good, not just promoting your agenda.’ (Note the double meaning on those words ‘there for good.’) It seems to me that this is a hard thing – not connecting with your community to give yourself a good feeling, or to grow your church by making converts, but simply to show God’s love, glad when people respond to the gospel because you truly believe its truth and power, but loving no less those who don’t respond.

• The main focus of the programme was on those struggling with major issues. But creative churches find ways of engaging with the whole community. The love of God is for all of us, no matter how ‘together’ our lives may we. The gospel calls every one of us to seek God, and to find transformation in responding to God.

• One of the volunteers on an East Church project commented that she’d come to Raigmore feeling tired after a day’s work. I wondered if she realised that she was just as much part of God’s mission in her workplace as she was on the Estate. For wherever we find ourselves we are called to show love, wisdom, courage, a passion for justice. The church is people, and the church penetrates the whole of society as we live for God in every aspect of our lives.

• ‘God is still working in Scotland,’ said Chris. And Derek commented ‘Nothing happens unless we do it. We’ve got to be out there. We’ve got to be with the people. That’s where God blesses.’ You might get the impression from this of a God who helicopters in when God’s people get active. I believe it’s true that each day each of us is given possibilities to embrace and run with. But it’s also true that God is engaged in people’s lives long before we meet them. For God is always active, and invites our co-operation in making the world a better place.

‘We want everyone to know Jesus,’ says Anna Macrae. Christians believe we know Jesus as we encounter the transforming Spirit of Christ.’ But there is another sense in which Jesus is known - through our moment-by-moment acts of love and compassion.

(Christian Viewpoint column from the Highland News dated 6th February 2014)