New beginnings

The local Uniting Church congregation where I worship has undergone a significant renovation. Presenting a somewhat forbidding and unwelcoming face to the world ('abandon hope all ye who enter here' may be a tad harsh!) and difficult for anyone infirm or disabled to enter, the old church has undergone a transformation. Hopefully the building now more effectively communicates the inclusive welcome of the gospel that community seeks to share. Anyway, yesterday marked the first Sunday back in the church after a few months worshipping in the adjacent Hall. Fittingly, the return to the church building coincided with a service to celebrate one (adult) baptism and four confirmations. A group of us lead an 9 session program (5 week night sessions and one weekend away) for 10 young people. We discovered a paucity of contemporary resources and cobbled together various sessions ourselves (leadership team included four Ministers and a lay Chaplain so something would be wrong if we couldn't come up with something half-decent!) but it's got me thinking - what 'information' needs to be conveyed in such a process? how might such an experience of Christian community offer opportunities to get to know God better rather than merely learn about God...Anyway, it was a great occasion and an encouragement to all present about the call to 'turn to Christ', to reorient, realign our lives regularly to the weird and wonderful way of Jesus.