Prayer of the Day
God, beyond all our naming, the glory of creation reaches out to you. God, beyond all our reasoning, the voice of the universe sounds your praise; God, beyond all our knowing, all that lives finds its destiny in your presence.
Methodist Church Prayer Manual
Fellowship
It was Harold Wilson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1964-1970 and 1974-1976 who came out with the famous line that “A week is a long time in politics”. If that is true then in my book, it is also true to say that “ Nearly five months is a very long time for our Canvey Methodist Church Buildings to be closed”.
But these have been unprecedented times and the socially distancing actions taken during this trying time of Coronavirus epidemic have helped to save lives and to keep people safe. Through means of telephone, transcript, email, Zoom and WhatsApp group we have, however, even through this period of physical separation, kept the lively flame of Worship, fellowship, faith and friendship alive.
As the photograph above encouragingly shows, this period of self imposed exile from our place of meeting, is drawing to a close. On Sunday 6th September 2030, we will all be able to meet once again to worship God together and to share in face to face (albeit with masks in place) Christian fellowship .
This calling is a divinely inspired undertaking. Our forebears in the early church made meeting together a top priority.
Acts 2:42-47- New International Version (NIV)- The Fellowship of the Believers- 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
In fact when the national churches of Great Britain were considering the top priority of divine calling, they came up with a catechism of questions that put worshipping God right at number 1.
“The Westminster Shorter Catechism was completed in 1647 by the Westminster Assembly and continues to serve as part of the doctrinal standards of many Presbyterian churches. The biblical proof texts included in this edition are those prepared by a special committee of the General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in 1978.
Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, [a] and to enjoy him forever.
[a]. Ps. 86:9; Isa. 60:21; Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 6:20; 10:31; Rev.4:11
[b]. Ps. 16:5-11; 144:15; Isa. 12:2; Luke 2:10; Phil. 4:4; Rev. 21:3-4
I expect that like me, you have seen the regular reports from the office of national statistics reporting on the various issues arising from, and the social impacts made upon society by the Coronavirus epidemic. Perhaps unsurprisingly the lack of human contact during “shielding” and “lockdown” has resulted in a rise in the incidence of depression with many people reporting a loss of confidence in returning to workplaces and to a more normal mode of living. As we open our Bibles we find a hint of what might be at the heart of these findings.
In Genesis 2 verse 18, God said about Adam, “18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” And for Adam, help was on the way as “Eve” came to keep him company.
This need for companionship is not exclusively limited to the province of having a life partner or a soul mate alone. It is far more universal than that!
Rather, it seems that humanity is “hardwired” to need what the Bible refers to as having close “Fellowship” with others; to enjoy friendship, close contact and easy conversation with other people. We are made to interact with each other and in so doing to draw strength from one another.
In the colloquial Greek of the New Testament period, the word koinonia [koinwniva] was used to describe what this kind of “fellowship” was like.
It was not used though exclusively to describe Christian fellowship. Other relationships were also included:
-business partnerships, where two or more persons were closely connected in work.
-In marriage, where a man and a woman shared life together.
-Devotion, it was sometimes to describe a perceived relatedness to a god, such as Zeus.
- Attitude, Koinonia was used to refer to the spirit of generous sharing in contrast to the spirit of selfish acquisition.
Essentially Kononia described a partnership that was to the mutual benefit of those involved. At face value then, Christian fellowship was to be a mutually beneficial relationship between Christians, who could not have identical relationships with those outside the faith. However, as the New Testament describes relationships in the early church, it soon becomes clear that there is much more to Christian Fellowship than pure human interaction.
1)To have fellowship with one another is to find ourselves in fellowship with Jesus:
1 John 1v1-4 New International Version (NIV)
The Incarnation of the Word of Life
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[a] joy complete.
2). To have fellowship with Jesus is to follow Christ’s calling. Fellowship is the predesigned glove that fits the hand.
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 New International Version (NIV). Thanksgiving. 4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
3). When we walk together in fellowship we stay on the lighted path.
1John 1v5-7. Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness. 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.
May we all be encouraged as we resume our collective walk in Christ together on Sunday.
To close, the words of a very relevant Hymn.
1. All praise to our redeeming Lord,
who joins us by his grace,
and bids us, each to each restored,
together seek his face.
2. He bids us build each other up;
and, gathered into one,
to our high calling's glorious hope
we hand in hand go on.
3. The gift which he on one bestows,
we all delight to prove,
the grace through every vessel flows
in purest streams of love.
4. E'en now we think and speak the same,
and cordially agree,
concentered all, through Jesus' name,
in perfect harmony.
5. We all partake the joy of one;
the common peace we feel,
a peace to sensual minds unknown,
a joy unspeakable.
6. And if our fellowship below
in Jesus be so sweet,
what height of rapture shall we know
when round his throne we meet!
Prayer of the day.
Gregory of Nazianzus (c.329-389)
We praise you, O God, source of all being, eternal word and Holy Spirit; in wisdom you have brought forth the vibrancy of creation, in mercy you have called your people into the pilgrimage of faith, in weakness you have revealed the power of the gospel and in your providence you have raised up your servant Church; and so with all who long to fulfil your will, we pray that we may see your glory, hear your voice, obey your call and carry on our bodies the wounds of those faithful to your sending.
Norman Wallwork, Chair, Prayer Handbook Committee
Methodist Church Prayer Manual