gariochchurch at Home – Easter Sunday

Happy Easter everyone! Easter has fallen on one of our ‘At Home’ weeks, but with the snow (some were house bound, being in the far north), some were sick, and some had gone away, so we were still able to gather in one house — a big farmhouse with 28 acres of grounds. We had breakfast together (not lunch!) at 10 am in the huge warm kitchen.

After eating we had an interruption, a tramp was tapping on the kitchen window. Our hostess, Elaine, said, ‘Oh, it’s Barney, he comes occasionally and we give him a job in the grounds and a warm by the Aga. He would choose to come today!’ Her husband offered to send him away, but Elaine was worried about him being poorly clad in the snow and cold wind. She asked whether anyone would mind if he were to come in and sit by the Aga. He wouldn’t want to talk, just to get warm. We all agreed and put a chair for him by the Aga.

He was indeed poorly clad and rather grubby. He had a big bag, and he just sat down and smiled at everyone. After a minute or two he pulled a tiny musical box from his bag and started turning the handle. All the children drifted to him to see what else was in his bag. He smiled at them and let them play his mouth organ, and then had a few tricks with boxes, with things flying out when he lifted the lid.

Then he pulled out a large loaf of bread and a half-filled bottle of wine, a home-made cross, a ring of barbed wire, and a small candle and placed them on the kitchen table. All this time he had not said a word but we were sensing the unfolding picture of Easter Communion.

He broke his loaf of bread and mimed giving thanks and then showed that he would like to share his bread with us. It was in a not too clean tea towel, but he broke a hunk and gave some to each of us, with a smile and a nod. He wanted us to eat with him.

He then took his wine bottle and drank from it himself but fished out a tankard from his bag for us to pass round with the wine. Then he noticed some of our young men next to him so he passed the bottle to them. They didn’t hesitate but drank freely and passed it on.

Finally he blew up a small red balloon and placed it on the table with the cross and crown of barbed wire. The balloon was shaped like a heart.

He gathered his bag and walked out of the room. You could have heard a pin drop, for we all knew we had been present at a very special Easter Communion.

A few of the folk were not Christians, and we wonder what they felt. There weren’t any words to confuse this issue, just the red balloon heart left on the table.

Afterwards everyone got togged up and went out into the grounds and woods to dig up snowdrops or make snowmen. Every family took home a few snowdrops to plant in their garden as a reminder of our first Easter together.

Thoughts on church services (now and in Acts)

At our midweek gathering @lethenty last night we looked at two questions: ‘What makes up a church service?’ The answers included songs, praise, prayer, and teaching, preaching the gospel, testimony, fellowship, reflection, communion, response, participation, confession, encouragement, challenge, involvement and the presence of the Holy Spirit. and  ‘What do you think one of the early church meetings would be like?’ Folk suggested that they were unplanned, in homes, included a meal, all ages present, a message given or discussion had. We then looked at both of these answers and discussed why there was a vast difference between the two. The discussion was stimulating, thought provoking and challenging. We concluded that we ourselves need a ‘rounded diet’ of all these things, but because only one or two  elements may be at our gatherings at any one time, it does not mean that it is any more or any less a service, a meeting of God’s people.

We also wondered how a non-Christian may feel coming to gariochchurch. These questions are all thought provoking and challenging. Keep on thinking!!

1 Corinthians 14:26 came up a couple of times as it shows us how we should all prepare ourselves before meeting together. ’ ..everyone should have a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or interpretation…all these must be done for the strengthening of the church.’

We looked at Acts 2:42-47 which gives us a wonderful picture of those early Christians and how they lived and behaved towards one another. It’s a high standard to be called to live by!