ALL SAINTS
Holy Chats and Coffee. On the first Thursday of each month, All Saints’ have begun a conversation group. We meet after the midweek Eucharist at 11:30am in Costa coffee on Island Green. This group is still in a very early stage and is yet to be fully formed, but the intention is simply to talk about our faith and to grow together as we seek to understand each other better and to grow in love for Christ. This can take on many different forms such as people coming to ask simple questions like: why do we do that in the service? Why do some vicars wear this but others wear that? Or why do we stand for one reading in church but sit for the rest? But also has the potential to go much deeper.
Our first meeting went the way of the latter. A small group of us walked from church and discussed at some length the nature of God’s forgiveness, the seriousness of sin and even the power of God’s holy word. We stayed there for some hours. This perhaps needs reform. It is the intention for this to take no longer than an hour in future. However, the principal of coming to talk openly, honestly and lovingly about our faith within a safe environment has the potential to really allow Christians to flourish in love, understanding and confidence.
The overall structure of the group is to do this in a reflective way. We bring a question, a topic of conversation, something that has been on our minds and discuss it in a way which allows prayer and the word of God to inform and direct the discussion. This is an enlightening process where we allow God into the conversation to reveal to us something which have not seen before and even helps us to see something in a different light.
All are more than welcome to join us whether straight away or perhaps in a few months once we have ironed out some of the formative creases. Costa coffee, Island Green, first Thursday of the month at 11:30am.