Be light

I wasn't gonna write this post coz Rhett did an amazing job (& beat me to it) but he said that I still should write it, which is why I am doing so. However, it'll be hard for me to do as good a job as he's done.

So we started a new series 2 Sundays ago called Re:Imagine and it's probably the most important series for the year-a vision casting series. We looked back on the past and how far we've come as a community, why we are called what we are called, our values and also looking into the future. It was great!

It is constantly being preached that we should be salt and light to those around us. Week in, week out it's the same message (directly or indirectly) and after a while all you tend to hear is nothing more than merely blah blah blah blah blah. However, there was something different about Brett's message on the first week.

Culture is probably the biggest cause (but don't quote me on this) of churches not working out. People end up leaving because the elders don't want to change their ways and this can also mean that people don't even end up coming to church in the first place. Church culture is a big no no when wanting to grow.

cession is such a community based and community focused "church" and I think that's what makes it so beautiful (in more ways than one). We are called cessioncommunity and not cession church because we want to break down those cultural barriers that have been put up over the years. When we invite people to cession, we want them to come with an open mind and, hopefully, without any pre misconceptions about what cession might be like.

Another way that we help break those cultural barriers is by providing a free meal before the service every week. As the leader of the ministry that provides the meal each week, I feel very honoured to be able to serve the community in this manner. It is also incredibly rewarding when you see a new face and/or someone that normally wouldn't even set foot in a church come. Even if they just come for the meal and not stay for the service, that in itself is already a huge win.

Then there is the whole community-ness about cession. No one and nothing goes unnoticed. Where help is needed, it is provided. Where love is needed (emotional support in times of need that is), it is given unconditionally. Where there is something to celebrate, it is celebrated. Where honesty is required, it is given without beating round the bush.

These are one of the many ways that as a community we try our very best each day to be light-not just within cession but especially with the people we interact with outside of cession. As we minister to those around us, we want to reflect and offer Christ.