I've been writing a new publicity leaflet for the congregation to put round doors and give to folk who visit and come for Baptisms etc. I spent a good deal of the morning doing it and I have been trying to be honest yet upbeat about who the people of God are. We're not saints, but actually, yes we are saints though our halos are a bit off-centred. However is this the kind of church that attracts? Should we be speaking more about this. Remember the sermon a few weeks ago when I was talking about the radio programme that had me stop short that was talking about the epidemic of rape in Democratic Republic of Congo? It just silences you and I'm wondering if that's the sort of thing we ought to speak about as God's agenda for the church but we're fairly hopeless, clueless and powerless about doing anything about it. Answers on a blog near you please.
Anyway, part of the leaflet is pasted below and I'm going to offer it here and at the session tomorrow for feedback. It's quite important that if we use publicity, then people recognise themselves in what we say, even if it is aspirational. I'll paste the firt part here and then the second part tomorrow. Really interested in feedback and comments.
We are a church who lives questions and is willing to ask them even if we don’t like the answer.
We are a church who is learning about community and willing to build it and face the joys and pitfalls that brings.
We are a church who wants to seek out love and live in peace even if we don’t always manage to do it.
We are a church who loves the beauty of the world and is shocked by the violence of it, but believes we have a part to play in its renewal.
We are a church who has no saints except those whose halos are a bit off-centre and a little tarnished.
We are a church who believes in God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and live in relationship with them and they challenge us quite a bit but we don’t imagine we’ve worked it all out. It makes the whole journey more exciting.
We are a church who laughs often, though mainly at ourselves.
We are a church who looks to the future and intends to stick with things for the long term. That means making hard choices, that means change, that means commitment, but we believe God calls us into that and is already waiting for us in the chaos of tomorrow’s faith.
We are a church who meets in a building but at heart lives in a tent because knows we have to journey even if we do not know where we’ll end up.
We are a church who has a place kept for you and would like to invite you into it, when you can, if you are able, whenever you want.
We are a church with a great concrete tower in the centre of Clydebank beside the Playdrome and we are here to care for, love and welcome you anytime.
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