This gives you an idea of what our community space looks like. As you can see, it's very informal and mostly warm and comfortable. We gather like this each Sunday at 11:00am as a weekly ritual of spiritual practice.
We call it 'practice' because that's exactly what it is. Just as a gym uses different machines to exercise different parts of your body, so our services are designed to give you an opportunity to exercise the various elements of a healthy life of faith. So each week we practice faith skills such as hospitality, attentiveness, prayer, discipline, generosity, humility, gratitude and faithfulness. We also sing.
The aim is to collectively stretch and work our faith muscles so we can live out a more healthy and vibrant spirituality through the rest of the week.
When we gather, we don’t expect anyone to be on their best behaviour just because “you’re at church”. Instead, we want to encourage easy conversation, organic relationship building and relaxed participation. Come as you are, put your feet up on the coffee table and join the conversation.
Of course there's also coffee and buns, disabled access, a children's program and baby change facilities.
Each Sunday follows a similiar pattern starting just after 11am:
The Countdown
The familiar music plays and the 5 minute countdown begins on screen. Last chance to grab a coffee and a seat before the service starts!
Welcome & Introductions
The service opens with a general welcome and some introductory words. There will usually also be some community notices and a Gathering Prayer to begin the “liturgical hour”.
Opening Song
Our musicians will play some opening music. These may be older Hymns or more contemporary praise songs from a variety of traditions. You are welcome to stand and sing or you may simply remain seated and listen, whichever best serves your practice on the day.
Call to Worship
After the opening music, we are invited to be attentive to a simple call to worship, often in the form of a short audio visual reflection on the practice of faith and spirituality. This also serves as a transition from the opening music to our Common Table.
Common Table
Together we are invited to share in a liturgical practice such as a spoken creed, a set prayer or a scripture meditation from across the historical and contemporary Christian traditions. Whether it’s communion, a Quaker style silence, a traditional responsorial psalm or a modern take on the Apostle’s Creed - this is a spiritual practice that shares common ground with the wider church tradition.
Lection Reflection
The Revised Common Lectionary is a widely shared rotation of bible readings over a three-year cycle. Each Sunday, we invite a participant to choose one of the four readings set for that week to read and also to share a short 1 to 2 minute reflection on the chosen passage if they like. They will then light the Prayer Candle to signal the start of the Prayers of The People.
Prayers of The People
Four or five readers are now invited to read out loud a few lines each of communal prayer for the morning. Each contributor will read their part once through and then pause, after which they will read the same piece again, this time accompanied by the whole congregation. After the prayers are read, we sit for a moment and focus on the single flame of the Prayer Candle as we offer a careful attentiveness to God’s presence amongst us.
Sermon
This needs little explanation! A 15 to 20 minute talk reflecting on themes of faith and spirituality. Sermons are often based on the lectionary passage for the day, or they might form part of a series of talks on a particular theme. (At the moment we are running a sermon series called “Keeping Faith in Ordinary Time”)
Closing Song
Once again our musicians will lead some music, and the congregation is welcome to stand and sing together, or individuals may prefer to remain seated.
Closing notices and Blessing
We normally close our services with a reminder of any important notices for the week ahead and then with a benediction or a blessing to finish.