Rachel Reflects…

We come to the end of this turbulent year marvelling at all God has done in continuing to bless and grow our Community.

Our new residents have enriched the Community with their passion for God and their willingness to share with one another. This term has brought fire pits in the garden, experimental house worship every Friday, new recipes from around the world, film nights and jigsaws…a host of shared experiences through which our Community is forming and deepening.

The residents have been incredibly active in their placement churches, many of them supporting the move of services online and compassion ministries serving those most in need. Many Iranian Christian and Muslim asylum seekers were moved to Leicester in recent months and some of our residents have been reaching out to befriend and support them. Despite the cold wet weather, our residents have been regularly prayer walking the streets, offering hot drinks and prayer to those in need.

Our locally dispersed Companions community, have continued to support one another despite not being able to gather in person. We share in small monthly Listening Groups and a weekly zoom chat. Our Rule of Life has proved its worth as a supportive trellis for our spiritual lives through the lockdown. We have reflected together on racial justice, Sabbath keeping, work as a spiritual practice and living with a contemplative posture.

We end this year with much gratitude and we look forward to the coming year praying that we may be alert to all God is doing in and through us in these challenging times. This prayer inspires us:

 

Adventure of Reality

Eternal God

Born into one place and time for the sake of every place and time,

Wherever we live, you are already there

Waiting to be discovered in the adventure of reality,

Give us discernment to follow your tracks

Through the cutting edge of culture and the voices of our times.

Make us bold to step outside our old religious comforts,

To live and build your kingdom with the stuff that is all around us.

 

– Steve Collins, Alternative Worship