Well, let me add to Fraser's welcome. Very good afternoon. Let's pray as we open up God's word together.
Lord Jesus, we have already looked so much at what it means to be your church here.
And now as we open up your word, just make it real to each one of us, we ask.
Speak to each of us. We need to hear your voice loud and clear through your word this morning. Amen.
Amen. Well, last week we looked at the foundation of the church.
And Graham, our assistant pastor, spoke to us about the fact that at the very foundation of the church is the gospel,
is the good news of Jesus Christ, his death, his resurrection, his ascension and flowing from that.
The fact that he calls all those who believe in him to automatically be part of his church.
And today we're going to build on that by saying, OK, we've got that. We've got that as the foundations.
But now what does it look like to be part of this church?
And what does involvement in the church look like?
And I think you'll have got from the video clips and from some of what is said that you're going to hear about the fact
that this is something that involves every single one of us who are here today
and all those who, for whatever reason, are maybe out teaching kids or are just not able to be with us today.
So that's where we're going to go.
It strikes me that this morning's talk is going to be a little bit like a driving test in some respects.
Now, I did my driving test 23 years ago.
I am horrified to acknowledge.
And at that point, all you did was sit in the car and drive around.
And then at the end, the guy said, right, look at some road signs.
Do you know what that is?
Yeah, that's a stop sign.
Do you know what that is?
That's a giveaway sign.
That's fine.
You've passed your test.
But nowadays, I believe it's much more difficult.
Is anybody in the process of sitting a driving test just now or learning to drive?
None of you are learning to drive.
Gosh.
Okay, well, if you are going to be learning, you've got to get the theory bit right.
And you've got a separate theory exam.
And then you go and do the practical bit where you're actually driving around the road.
So we're going to have two aspects to the message.
We're going to have some theory.
And then we're going to have it.
We're going to see what it looks like in real life.
Okay, this whole thing about church.
But it's going to be much better than a driving test.
There's not going to be any failing at the end of the day.
And it's going to be an awful lot more fun.
Because this is a brilliant topic, I believe.
The theory of what church is all about.
And then we're going to look at a real life example of church actually living up to the theory.
And that's going to be in Romans chapter 16.
But the theory, first of all, and really if you remember and can let four words sink in,
then you'll pretty much have the theory.
Okay, although we're going to try and apply that theory a little bit over the next few minutes.
So here are the four words which I think pretty much capture the theory that's in the New Testament
about what the church is supposed to be.
Number one is a house or a home.
I'm going to describe it as a home today.
Number two is a body.
Number three is a family.
Number four is a community.
And I'd love it if by the time we go away we've got those four words sunk deep down
and we can think through what that means in practice.
A home, a body, a family and a community.
Those four words used to describe the theory about church and involvement in church
according to the New Testament.
Let me start then with this word house or home.
If you've got a Bible either in paper copy or on your phone or something like that,
you might want to dot around with me because we're not having only one text.
We're looking at a few.
And we'll start off in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 4.
1 Peter chapter 2 verse 4.
And here, check with me that I'm not getting the theory wrong.
I'm pretty sure if we're doing a theory exam and it was about what is church like,
then we'd have to say, wait a minute, there's something around houses and homes.
It's there in 1 Peter chapter 2.
As you come to him, the living stone, rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him.
So this is a reference to Jesus.
You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood
offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
And then we'll dash on to verse 9.
It says,
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession,
that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.
Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
So let's get our head around this idea of the church being a home.
Well, we've sung already such a helpful song which helps us understand this.
We've sung that Jesus Christ is the cornerstone.
And that's the idea in this passage here.
That we can have in our minds the idea of the church as a building where Jesus Christ is the cornerstone.
The stone that is absolutely essential in terms of holding the whole thing together.
But that every single one of us are also invited to take our place as stones in this building.
But it's not just some kind of house where nothing's happening, which is why I'm describing it as a home.
Because we're described as living stones.
And there's something that's not static, but that's really dynamic about this house.
So it really is a home which God is building.
And the key point I want to get across in relation to this first bit of theory about church
is that it's somewhere where we all belong.
Isn't that what we have in mind for many of us if we've had a happy background and we think about home?
It's a place of refuge.
It's a place where we can return to.
It's a place where regardless of what else has been happening, we all belong at home.
And I want to say to each one of you coming into church today
that I long and pray that you might feel that this place is home.
It's a place where Jesus Christ is the key cornerstone.
But it's a place where each of us are invited to come and contribute to the overall building project
that Jesus Christ is doing and that God is doing.
And why do I say I think the key thing is to understand that in this home we all belong?
Well, let me refer again to verses 9 and 10.
Because it's very easy to think, oh, do you know, I'm not sure that I, that me,
I've really got an entitlement to play an integral part in this home.
I reckon that there's others around me that probably play a part in the home.
But I'm not sure.
I've done too much in the past.
I've had too many regrets.
I've got too many failures.
I'm too old.
I'm too young.
I'm too inexperienced to really play an integral part.
Well, the apostle Peter tackles that here.
He says, yes, once you were not a people in verse 10,
once you had no place in this home,
once you weren't part of it at all,
but now through Jesus Christ,
through that wonderful foundation of the gospel that we learned about last Sunday,
once you were not a people,
but now you are the people of God.
Once you had not received mercy.
It's true.
You've not been part of this all your life,
but now you have received mercy.
We were in Disney for our first time ever over the summer
and we found it somewhat corny,
but in some ways slightly comforting
that every single time we went back into the particular hotel
that we were going to,
the people said two words to us
and it was in an accent,
which I'm tempted to imitate,
but I'll get it wrong.
They said, welcome home.
Every single time.
I'd like to say that today genuinely
to all those of you who form a part of Brunsfield,
whether this is just your first or second time
or you've been here a hundred times or a thousand times,
welcome home.
Let's remember that Jesus Christ
is the absolute center and cornerstone
and he wants us to feel that this is part of the house,
the building, the home that he is building.
It's a home.
It's also a body.
And here I'm going to turn you to Romans chapter 12 and verse 4.
Again, if you want to turn to it, that would be great.
If you'd rather just listen, that's fine.
There's various passages which I could turn to in the New Testament
where the church is compared not as a house or a home,
but the church is compared to a body,
a single body.
We could look at Ephesians chapter 4,
but for today we're going to look at Romans chapter 12.
So listen to this.
Romans chapter 12, verse 4.
For just as each of us has one body with many members
and these members do not all have the same function,
so in Christ we, though many, form one body
and each member belongs to all the others.
We have different gifts according to the grace given to each of us.
If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith.
If it is serving, then serve.
If it is teaching, then teach.
If it is to encourage, then give encouragement.
If it is giving, then give generously.
If it is to lead, do it diligently.
If it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
So it couldn't be clearer, could it,
that God says that the church that he established,
built on the foundation of the gospel,
is intended to be like a body.
Well, to understand this more fully,
I have had to have recourse to some of the doctor friends
who are in the church today.
Now, folks, for those of you who don't know,
we're spoiled for choice at the moment.
We are blessed to have many doctors among us.
This is a brilliant place to fall ill.
So, you know, if you're not feeling great any Sunday,
don't worry, come along,
because if something goes wrong,
there'll be people running towards you,
ready to help, thanks to all the doctor friends.
Then again, maybe some of you are actually thinking,
don't say that, I'm off duty,
and I've been working hard.
But anyway, one particular doctor friend
who is serving in other ways,
David, who's at the back,
told me a little bit about how the body works.
He said this,
if a part of the body is injured,
e.g. muscle strain,
this puts more work onto the opposite leg
to compensate for and support the injured leg.
This reflects in the church.
We have a role to support injured or weaker parts of the church,
even if this means more work for ourselves.
I think David put that in a beautifully positive way,
because we could be really negative and say,
are you causing the rest of the body to limp along?
But we're not going to say that today at all, okay?
We're going to look at it positively,
and we're going to say that each one of us
has an essential part to play
in order that this body,
the church at Brunsfield,
or any other churches that you're represented,
in order that this body functions really well.
It's intended to be a body that's full of energy,
that's full of vitality,
that's able to run,
that's able to do incredibly powerful things,
and for that to happen,
each one of us has got a key part to play in the body.
But we recognize that sometimes,
bits of the body won't be working well.
Sometimes bits of the body
just can't perform their full function.
And isn't it beautiful that in the human body,
what happens is that other bits of the body
kick in to compensate for
and really help make up for
what is lacking in the bits that are sick or struggling.
And I think that's a lovely image
which we could try and take,
because I can look around,
and I can say that I know there are some people
who have been performing
an incredibly active role in the body
for many, many, many years.
But maybe the time has come
and actually they're struggling
or they're unwell,
and they can no longer play that part.
And my hope is, my belief is,
that as God brings others into the body here,
he encourages every one of us
to play the part that we can.
In Romans 12, we read about
the whole variety of gifts
which he gives to every one of us.
Every one of you,
you are here with God-given gifts.
And in this church,
the theory says, at least,
that we will be able to use those gifts
in order to ensure that that body is healthy
and growing and full of life and vitality.
What is your part in the body
at Brunsfield here?
Maybe as you look through the gifts,
you think, oh, I'm not sure.
Well, maybe try out some opportunities.
Later on today and over lunch,
we'll be making known
some of the opportunities that there are.
But equally, it's not all about joining rotas.
Look at some of this.
It might be giving.
If I can refer to Fraser's
very gentle and subtle plug
about giving to the church
potentially through wills.
Maybe it's leading.
Maybe it's showing mercy.
And we'll come on to an example of that
in just a minute or two.
So there's a theory number one.
The body is a home.
Sorry, the church is a home.
Number two, it's a body.
Number three, it's a family.
Now, we could look at
so many different passages here.
I'm not going to turn to them all,
but there are many passages
where what is referred to
or how the apostles
and the writers of the New Testament
refer to the other Christians
is in the following terms,
brothers and sisters.
Brothers and sisters.
The language that we use for family.
Very briefly, if you want to look at it,
Hebrews 2.19,
you are not foreigners and strangers,
but fellow citizens with God's people
and members of his household.
We're all part of God's family.
And therefore, in this household,
we are brothers and sisters with one another.
1 Peter 2.17 says this,
love the family of believers.
And a minute or two,
we'll read together Romans chapter 16,
where we'll see so many references
to our sisters, Phoebe,
the brothers and sisters with them.
I wonder if we truly see each other
as part of a family.
I kind of feel for me when I was younger
in a much smaller church,
people were referred to as brother,
as sister,
as for the kids,
as a child,
I knew others as auntie and uncle.
And there was that real sense of family.
And my prayer,
perhaps my challenge,
would be that we try to
possibly recapture
the sense of Brunsfield as family.
It doesn't matter
whether you've been here
for a long time or a short time.
And maybe the particular responsibilities
and those of us who've been here
for quite a long time
to be sufficiently welcoming of others
so that we recognize
that we're not only a house and a home,
we're not only a single body,
we're also family.
And the people sitting next to you,
behind you,
in front of you,
in Christ Jesus,
are brothers and sisters.
Isn't that great?
We don't need to feel alone.
We don't need to be isolated
because you're not sitting next
to a group of strangers.
In Christ,
you're sitting next to brothers and sisters.
Here's my challenge.
Could you manage,
after church,
at some point today,
to refer to somebody else
as brother or as sister
and really mean it
because that's what we are in Christ.
Finally, community.
In so many passages of the New Testament,
we hear the word fellowship
and literally the word is koinonia,
linked to the words common,
sharing and participation.
We're in community with God the Father,
God the Son and God the Spirit
and we're in community with each other.
And I think the key verse that gets that
is that one that I read
from Romans chapter 12,
which I think really,
really challenges
the kind of predominant individualistic tone
of our society.
Romans 12, verse 4,
each of us has one body with many members
and these members do not all have the same function.
So in Christ,
we, though many,
form one body
and each member belongs
to all the others.
Each member belongs
to all the others.
There's this real sense of closeness.
There's this real sense of interdependence.
There's this real sense of support
for one another.
I think that's some of the sense of community
or the fellowship
that we are intended to have.
I've been reading a great book this week
called Total Church
by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis.
And they say this,
by becoming a Christian,
I belong to God
and I belong to my brothers and sisters.
It's not that I belong to God
and then make a decision to join a church.
My being in Christ
means being in Christ
with others who are in church.
This is my identity.
This is our identity.
And they go on to provide
what I found quite a helpful illustration
where they say that so many of us
can feel that in life
we're kind of juggling lots of balls
and we're there on our own
trying to just keep all these balls in the air.
Yeah?
Does that feel familiar to some?
And we've got family
and we've got work
and we've got studies
and church is one of the balls
that sometimes we feel
we need to try and keep in the air
and sometimes it drops
because there's so many other things.
And the challenge from the theory part
which is coming to an end now
is not to see church
as just one of the balls
that's up in the air
but to see what God is doing to us
through Christ
is meaning that I'm not standing
on my own juggling balls at all.
Actually, I'm in a fellowship.
I belong to others
and at the very heart of me
is my relationship with Jesus Christ
and my relationship with those around us.
So we together belong to one another
and it's we together who are at the centre
perhaps juggling lots of balls
all around us
but let's not see church
as just one of them.
It's much more integral.
It's much more central.
And I think that's absolutely clear
through these four phrases.
Home.
Body.
Family.
Community.
But what does it look like in practice?
I want to take you
in our last 10 minutes or so
10-15 minutes
to a beautiful example
of the practical reality
of church
as it's really intended to be
by God.
Can you come with me
to Romans chapter 16
and we'll look at some of these examples
of people.
Context here is
the Apostle Paul
is writing a letter
to the church in Rome.
He longs to be with them
but he can't be with them
for various reasons.
But as he writes this letter
he speaks about the people
in the church
and he gives us a beautiful insight
of how that church
was functioning.
And I think that church
was functioning
as both body,
building,
family and community.
Come with me
and let's look in
on this church.
Verse 1
I commend to you
our sister Phoebe
a deacon of the church
in Centuria.
I ask you to receive her
in the Lord
in a way worthy of his people
and to give her
any help she may need for you
for she has been
the benefactor
of many people
including me.
Verse 3
Greet Priscilla and Aquila
my fellow workers
in Christ Jesus
they risked their lives
for me
not only I
but all the churches
of the Gentiles
are grateful for them.
Greet also the church
that meets at their house.
Greet my dear friend
Epenetus
who was the first convert
to Christ
in the province of Asia.
Greet Mary
who worked very hard
for you.
Greet Andronicus
and Junia
my fellow Jews
who have been in prison
with me.
They are outstanding
among the apostles
and they were in Christ
before I was.
Greet Ampelatus
my dear friend
in the Lord.
Greet Urbanus
our fellow worker
in Christ
and my dear friend
Stachys
Greet Apelles
whose fidelity
to Christ
has stood the test.
Greet those
who belong
to the household
of Aristobulus.
Greet Herodian
my fellow Jew.
Greet those
in the household
of Narcissus
who are in the Lord.
Greet Triphina
and Triphosa
those women
who work hard
in the Lord.
Greet my dear friend
Persis
another woman
who has worked
very hard
in the Lord.
Greet Rufus
chosen in the Lord
and his mother
who has been
a mother
to me too.
Greet Assyntricus
Philegon
Hermes
Patrobus
Hermas
and the other
brothers and sisters
with them.
Greet Philogius
Julia
Nerus and his sister
and Olympus
and all the Lord's
people who are with them.
Greet one another
with a holy kiss.
All the churches
of Christ
send greetings.
Verse 21
Timothy my co-worker
sends his greetings
to you
as do Lucius
Jason
and Sosipater
my fellow Jews.
I Tertius
who wrote down
this letter
greet you in the Lord.
Gaius
whose hospitality
I and the whole church
here enjoy
send you his greetings.
Erastus
who is the city's
director of public works
and our brother
Quartus
send you
their greetings.
Bit of a whistle stop tour
through an awful lot
of names.
I probably didn't do justice
to many of those names
and I want to just
focus in
in this last few minutes
on some of them.
Because I think
if we look at some of them
we get a beautiful picture
of the theory
being translated
into action
and I pray that we might
see some of that
here among us.
Phoebe
at the start.
There she is
Phoebe
our sister
I commend to you
Phoebe
our sister
a deacon in the church
and she's been the
benefactor
of many people.
I learned from looking
at this this week
that it seems almost certain
that Phoebe
who was with Paul
is the woman
who was entrusted
by Paul
to take the only
copy of Romans
and to travel
with it
over land
and across sea
and to take it
to the church
in Rome.
What an incredible
responsibility
was given to Phoebe.
It also seems
from the passage
and from what else
we can learn
that Phoebe
was a very well
off woman
possibly a business
woman in the day
and Paul says
Phoebe has been
a great help to me.
She's probably met
some of Paul's
financial needs
and in other ways
has come alongside.
Literally
what she's described
as is one
who has stood by
in times of need.
One who's stuck
close to Paul
when the going
has got tough
and Paul says
greet Phoebe.
I commend to you Phoebe.
She's travelling
with this precious letter.
Welcome her
because she's been
a great help
to me.
I look out
and I recognise
that some of you
are probably closer
to Phoebe
than you even imagine.
Some of you
have stood by
and helped others
in times of need
and that's one
of the ways
in which the theory
of the church
is brought out
in practice.
Look around.
There are others
in need today
and the challenge
is where are
the other Phoebes
who will stand by
in times of need
and where are those
like Phoebe
who can contribute
practically
and at times
financially
to the work
of God
here.
Maybe you're
a Phoebe.
He goes on
to say
greet Priscilla
and Aquila
my fellow workers
in Christ Jesus
they risked
their lives
for me.
Not only I
but all the churches
of the Gentiles
are grateful for them.
Priscilla and Aquila
are an amazing couple.
There are seven
references to Priscilla
and Aquila
in the New Testament.
Interestingly
most of the times
five of them
the woman is mentioned
first.
Twice
Aquila
the guy
is mentioned
first.
They are never
mentioned apart
and here I want
to look out
at some of the
couples
who are working
together for God.
Some of the Priscillas
and Aquilas
where together
you are able
to do
tremendous things
for God
and for his glory
in this place.
Greet Priscilla
and Aquila.
One of the most
beautiful things
that I've enjoyed
this week
about Priscilla
and Aquila
let me tell you
a wee story
about them
in Acts chapter
18.
This great scholar
called Apollos
comes along
and he was one
of Paul's
right hand men
later on.
He was a big guy
big teacher
well learned
brilliant preacher
and he comes along
and he starts to
preach
and Priscilla
and Aquila
are there
and they recognise
that actually
Apollos has got
some stuff wrong.
He's got a pretty
mixed up on the
whole thing
about baptism.
So what do they do?
What would we do
if we think
there's people
where we just
know they're wrong?
We know
they are wrong.
What did Priscilla
and Aquila do?
Did they stand up
and say sorry
we have to say
that's wrong?
No.
What they did
and we read it
in Acts 17
you can look at it
they said
do you want to
come round
for a meal
Apollos?
Come round
let's share
an evening together
let's have some food
and over a meal
we read
that they gently
explained
to Apollos
the word of God
more accurately
and Apollos went on
to be an absolute
giant of the faith
who stood by Paul
in times of need
all because Priscilla
and Aquila
or maybe at least
in part
because Priscilla
and Aquila
had taken the time
as that couple
to invite him round
for a meal
and to say
let's have a chat
about what God's
really up to
and let me explain
to you one or two
things that might
not yet be clear
to you.
Priscilla and Aquila
are you out there?
I know you are.
Can you be the couples
who really stand
strong for God
who help us
who show such hospitality
and of course
crucially
Priscilla and Aquila
host a church
in their house.
We're all encouraged
to go and get that sheet
with our name on it
which says that we belong
to a home group
and thank you
to those who are choosing
to host house groups
over this next season.
If any of you
don't have your name there
because you haven't signed up yet
it's not too late
speak to Graham or I
we'd be delighted
to get you as part
of one of these
house groups.
Priscilla and Aquila
marvellous couple.
Verse 5
Epenetus
my dear friend
who's described
as the first convert
to Christ
in the province
of Asia.
And then verse 7
Andronicus and Junia
my fellow Jews
who have been
in prison with me
outstanding among
the apostles
and wearing Christ
before I was.
What point do I want
to make from
Epenetus
and Andronicus
and Junia?
Well it's there
in the passage.
Here we have
the experienced
men and women
of the faith.
Here we have
the people
who have been
disciples of Jesus
long before
the apostle Paul was
and Paul says
I want to greet you
Epenetus
I want to greet you
Andronicus and Junia
you're the guys
that have been at it
for so much longer
than I have
and you're still
going on
you're still encouraging
the newer brothers
and sisters in Jesus.
Epenetus
Andronicus
Junia
you don't have
those names
but you're here
today.
You're the ones
who are long
in the faith
please feel
part of the body
for as long
as God gives you
strength
to breathe
and to sing
his praises
and please encourage
those who have
not been part
of the body
for so long
those who might
be new in the faith
those who might
not yet even
have taken their
first steps
in the faith.
Paul looked at
that church
he gave thanks
for the older
believers
and we need
you older
believers
we need
the Epenetuses
and we need
the Andronicus
and the Junias
Verse 6
Mary
what she commended
for
Mary is the
hard worker
and then verse 12
Tryphena
and Tryphosa
those women
who work
hard in the
Lord
and then Persis
another woman
who has worked
very hard
in the Lord
it almost
goes without
saying
we saw it
beautifully
in one of
Fraser's
videos
that what
we also
need
for this
church
to function
properly
is the
hard workers
they've been
there today
already
the ones
who serve
coffee
the ones
who are
preparing
lunch
the ones
who are
teaching
the children
the ones
who have
been
rehearsing
like mad
in order
to bring
us great
music this
morning
the hard
workers
thank you
to all
those who
are taking
a stand
like Mary
like Persis
like Tryphena
and like
Tryphosa
there's one
lovely little
bit about
some of
those names
I just want
to bring
to you
I understand
that Tryphena
and Tryphosa
were the names
that would be
given to the
real elite
in the day
in Rome
right
those were not
the names
that just
anybody had
Tryphena
and Tryphosa
oh posh
names
suggesting that
the parents
were you know
had high
expectations
and were probably
from the kind
of ruling
class
but then you
come on to a
name like Persis
which in those
days
was the type
of name
that a slave
would have
and what we
see beautifully
in the church
here is people
from all
backgrounds
all classes
all walks
of life
but they're not
distinguished
they're just
here as people
who are working
hard in the
Lord
and it's great
that in Christ
our barriers
our backgrounds
are broken
down
because we are
here united
under Christ
and his
lordship
and those
backgrounds
are just
not important
may we
take care
that we
don't make
them something
important
we could go
on but time
is gone
so I'll only
mention in
verse 8
Ampelatus
who had been
a dear
friend
Urbanus
who had been
a fellow
worker
I can't finish
without mentioning
the mother
of Mary
sorry the mother
of Rufus
verse 13
have a quick
look
verse 13
greet Rufus
chosen in the
Lord
and his
mother
who has
been
a mother
to me
too
look out
at the
women
and ask
whether you
might be
mothers
to some
of the
younger
women
in the
church
look out
at the
men
might some
of us
be fathers
to some
of the
younger
men
in the
church
how are we
getting on
with mentoring
remember
delve
maybe that's
a practical
way
in which
we can
offer
a bit
of mothering
or fathering
to others
it was
happening
in the
church of
Rome
in practice
God would
want it
to happen
among us
here
verse 21
we go on
to read
about those
who were
working
alongside
Paul
he wasn't
doing it
alone
it was
not a
one man
band
and although
we are
blessed
to have
a pastor
assistant
pastor
youth
pastor
team
of elders
please
let's
not think
that this
church
thing
is something
that is
just for
one or
two
I want
to finish
with one
more quote
from that
book
Total
Church
if you
warm
to this
vision
of
Christian
community
then start
where you
are
sell
the vision
by modelling
the vision
don't become
a pain
to your
congregation
telling them
that everything
they are doing
is wrong
become a
blessing
by offering
hospitality
showing
practical
care
dropping
in on
people
create
around you
a group
of Christians
who will
share their
lives
and encourage
one another
in the
faith
you might
start
with your
home
group
you don't
have to
start a
campaign
for change
just get
on with
it
and make
your
community
better
let's
pray
thank you
for this
church
Lord
Jesus
thank you
for all
that you're
doing
among us
and thank you
for all
that you
have yet
to do
among us
we stand
amazed
we stand
amazed
we stand
amazed
to be part
of a
family
a body
a community
a home
and may we glorify you
in this place
by reflecting
just
to at least
some extent
what you
would call
the church
to be
pray that everyone
here who's been
listening today
might feel
part of this
home
and able
to do
what you
call us
to do
and to receive
the love
and support
that is here
for us
in this place
Amen