No, I can't quite believe it either
.Posted by: jonny_norridge | 7/22/2004 09:41:00 am |
Following the Jonathan's talk at the organic church day about 'the Celtic rhythm method' (as he called it), I've been thinking about spirituality, balance and rhythm.
I remember seeing a diagram a few years ago with three arrows pointing out from a central point. Each arrow was labeled: 'UP', 'OUT' and 'IN' respectively. The 'UP' was to signify 'upwards: a life worshiping God'. The 'IN' in was to signify the time in community. The 'OUT' was to signify the journey out into the world. Now I condone all these points, but the diagram troubles me.
I'm a visual art-design type person (academically trained in it, professionally worked it, fanatically lived it), I also have studied the odd bit of maths ('math' for any US readers) and applied maths. Now to me visually the diagram is completely wrong — yes it's balanced, but you won't be going anywhere. In fact its more like your on some elaborate stretching rack. (... and why is God only involved in one of the 3 points?)
Rhythm could be a far more healthier model. Rather than the stretching rack, think about a pendulum with the fulcrum being God. In this model God underpins, or rather 'over-pins' all the movement. And there's the significance, with this rhythm comes movement.
Apparently the Celtic monks would spend months or years in remote places undertaking an inward journey with God, in order to then to go and spend time in the market place and in the community. I remember Jonathan talking about "Together/Alone" - the time socially has feeds the time alone with God, and the time alone with God feeds the social times.
After the discussion on the role of church I thought I would post my attempt to put into a diagram how church might look. It was the result of thinking about how the church is intended to demonstrate the reality of an invisible God to the world. As with any diagram there are weaknesses, but I find it helpful. Here are the reasons why:
1) Church flows out of the nature, character and mission of God. Church is there to make real the invisible and God.
2) God is by nature community. The Trinity is an interdependant community of persons
3) God reaches out to His world, climatically in Jesus, in a mission of love that is unconditional and non-preferential.
4) God draws people and includes them into that communal life.
5) God's people are those 'in orbit' around God, centred on Him, giving allegiance to Jesus. It is not primarily about 'beliefs' but 'orientation'.
6) God's people are to join God in his mission of love to the world, unconditionally and non-preferentially.
7) Reaching in love takes us to our neighbours, friends ans family and further to the 'unreached'.
8) Just as the church is drawn in to share in the loife of the godhead, so others are drawn in to share in the life of God in us. The inclusion is more about our orbit around God than it is about our own 'attractiveness'.
9) We include through openness and invitation.
10) People are drawin into the life of the community.
11) God's people are characterised by their orientation around God, participation in His mission of love and inclusion.
12) Hence they live out the realities of life in God.
It is not intended to make it look like the church is the primary place of God's activity, clearly God is in action throughout His world. But it does show that the People of God have a 'priestly' and incarnational role for the world. It is not intended to show that the church is the centre of the universe and that people must come to it. It assumes the fact that the church community has placed itself in the centre of the wider community and that it is continually placing itself in other communities.
So, let me know if it helps!
Update: Jonny has kindly uploaded the diagram in 2 forms for you to download if you wish:
Circles_of_Community.pdf
Circles_of_Community.zip
