How can the church in Epsom be prophetic?
"How can the church in Epsom be prophetic?"
Around 35 people met at St. Barnabas Epsom church on Saturday 13 March 2010 to discuss this question, facilitated by The Churches Together in Epson (CTiE) with the principal speaker being Father Peter McVerry, an Irish Jesuit priest who has worked with young homeless people in Dublin for over thirty years. The day concluded with a presentation by the "Besom" Christian organisation, which seeks to form a bridge between Christians and unmet needs in their community.
In the morning Peter told us about his own life and work and answered questions. He explained that his work with young homeless people had completely changed him and transformed his image of God from that of a judge to one of a God of compassion who loves us all unconditionally. Peter seeks to convey God's love to the young people he works with by loving and listening to them, in order to restore the sense of their own value that their experiences have often destroyed.
Peter's call to solidarity with the poor and his reminder that none of us is in a position to judge others, as we do not know how we would have reacted in their circumstances, were challenging. He pointed out that God's view of things is often very different from ours. Criticism of Irish society was lightened by Peter's humour and self-deprecation.
The role of the church
Jesus preached to the poor and thousands came to listen. Peter asked why the reaction to today's church is so different. Does it preach the same message as Jesus? Is today's church like that in Acts, where members were willing to share everything with their brothers and sisters? Is today's church an open community, respecting, valuing and including those rejected by society, as Jesus did? And does today's church seek to bring about the kingdom, as Jesus did, by love rather than force?
Over a hot lunch, people sat and chatted in fours and fives, and then in the afternoon we discussed in small groups how we might lead prophetic Christian lives in Epsom, what might prevent us from doing so, and what are the signs of new life.
We agreed that listening to God and being empowered by the Holy Spirit are crucial, otherwise we just become social workers. Listening to other people and allowing them to make their unique contribution are both powerful ways of affirming their dignity and value. Our very mobile and individualistic consumer society has lost its sense of community. The church should be different, modelling community and hospitality.
We agreed that since the Church is one, and we gain from contact with one another, we need to continue to build up Christian unity. If we are going to make a difference, we need to listen to the prodding of the Holy Spirit, and be willing to change direction.
Peter said that Jesus reached out especially to three groups that were despised because they were viewed as sinful, namely the sick, the poor and the excluded, and he was comfortable in their company. Are we like him?
We agreed that fear is a major barrier to our leading prophetic Christian lives in Epsom, fear of our own incompetence, fear of being taken out of our comfort zone, fear of rejection, fear of sharing in case there's not enough to go round.
We thought that some of the signs of the kingdom in Epsom are the street pastors, welcoming church communities and the drop-in at St. Barnabas.
Jo Campbell from St. Barnabas spoke about the drop-in held there on Mondays in term time from 4 – 7 pm, which was started when the drop-in at the Brickfield (a mental health centre in Epsom) was closed. Each week there is an activity and a hot meal is served. A regular group of around twenty-five people come, and Jo encouraged people from other churches to come to experience or help with this sign of the kingdom in Epsom.
The Besom
Finally there was a presentation by the Ashtead Besom group. The Besom is an international Christian organisation that seeks to form a bridge between unmet needs in the community and Christians. Members are informed of needs in their local community by social services, pray about these needs and then respond to them, seeing amazing answers to prayer as they do so. They always offer to pray with the people they help, but do not force prayer on anyone. The website for the Besom organisation is www.besom.com.
Janet Roberts of St Barnabas Church, Epsom
On
22 October 2009 at the annual Reality Awards Peter McVerry was named their
Person of the Year, as follows: