This Summer's Theme

...The Big Ask

In Open Heaven we are very far away from having the kind of faith that does not permit questions or criticism.  The kind of dogmatic faith that upholds the party line at all costs, cannot be moved and will not tolerate being called into question... 

We want to be a church that puts people before programmes and principles, where you can belong before you believe.  We recognise that revelation is a process, not a moment and that for as long as we are making 21st century disciples we will be learning new stuff, discovering more about life, God and scripture and being “transformed by the renewing of our minds” .

But I wonder if there is a tendency in us to steer clear of the theological debate, the big uncomfortable questions.  To just avoid those topics of conversation that will really stretch our thinking and cause us to admit – “we just don’t know”.

This summer our theme is ‘The Big Ask’.  The idea is to push us together as a community into the uncharted territory of the ‘difficult question’, to which there is no easy answer and perhaps no answer at all.  To explore what it means to “love the Lord your God with all your mind” . And to grapple with some of the issues that challenge our beliefs and push us back onto God.

Over the last few months we have been collecting ‘big questions’.  We really have quite an array of them now.  Stuff like; ‘is there any such thing as an unforgivable sin’?, ‘if God loves us then why wouldn’t he trust our reasoning?’, ‘is Heaven an actual, literal city?’.  They are all good questions.  So we have been sifting through them, scratching our heads and trying to come up with a series that best reflects some of the big questions we are asking.  Then each week someone will attempt to put some flesh to what God’s perspective might be and what our response could be to each of the ‘big questions’.  The talks will include plenty of chance for feedback and discussion so that we are all tackling this together and thinking for ourselves.

And we have also realised that it is not just Christians who have big questions.  Plenty of people in our workplaces, our streets, our gyms are also grappling with questions of life, searching for truth and scratching their heads.  Can we invite them to be part of the series this summer?, submit their questions and bring their thoughts?

At OH1 we will be gathering in the Greyhound pub on Nottingham Rd (they have an upstairs function room called The Dog House) at 5-6.30pm.  Each week we will then chew the fat over a pint in the Greyhound pub garden before heading to a host venue (either someone’s house or a pub) for food.  We think food and drink is such an important part of community life so we encourage you to make it a priority to stay and eat.

OH2 are looking at the same theme and we will continue to gather at Beacon Rd at 10.30 till 11.30.

There will also be a smattering of social events over the summer.  Please check the notices and website for more up-to-date details.

Posted by: Naomi Light on Friday Jun 20th, 2008

Comments

Paul Humphreys writes:

It sounds ace I'm gutted I won't be there over the summer.... can we get the talks on podcast??

...left on Sunday Jun 22nd, 2008

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