Ekklesia
Ekklesia is a new Sunday Evening service
focused on intentional community.
Here at Faith, we do community well. Through small groups like Sunday School classes, Knitters, Choir, UMW and UMM, we care for one another like a family. Here at Faith, we care for one another, work together in mission, pray for and with one another, as well as worship together. In so many ways, this church family really operates as a family.
As we began talking about starting the evening service, we asked the question, what does our surrounding community need? What does South Tulsa really long for? We thought of facebook and twitter, myspace, linkedin, and a number of other social networking sites. We also thought of garage door openers that allow us to get into our homes without human contact. We see in our culture a desire to be connected, but in general a difficulty in actually doing so. The thing that the culture longs for, our life habits and technology actually prevent us from achieving. Even those who finally decide to go to Church, will find a place that is so big that it is easy to slip in and out of a pew without being noticed.
In thinking about what Ekklesia would be, we decided that what we do well, and what we have to offer to those who have no church home, is a place to belong; a place where you won’t go unnoticed in the pew. We built the evening as a snapshot of our Faith family. A meal together, a time of worship, and a time to be in community.
We have known from the beginning that some of you may make Ekklesia your service, you may prefer the style or worship, and you may enjoy celebrating communion on a weekly basis. You are welcome to come and be a part of it! However, our main goal is to fulfill the mission of the church, to change the world by sharing God’s love one person at a time. To reach out to our surrounding community, to those who do not have a church home, and for whom community is only a deep longing and not a reality, and to offer them a place to belong, a place where they will be cared for, and can care for others. We want to offer them a family.
Homework this week: This week you have a two-fold assignment. First, think of the ways in which we distance ourselves from those around us. (e.g. the garage door opener) Be intentional about making a connection with those around you (your neighbors, waiters, people in the checkout line.) Second, think of those around you who need a family, a place of community. Invite them to Ekklesia. Let us share our Faith family with them.
focused on intentional community.
Here at Faith, we do community well. Through small groups like Sunday School classes, Knitters, Choir, UMW and UMM, we care for one another like a family. Here at Faith, we care for one another, work together in mission, pray for and with one another, as well as worship together. In so many ways, this church family really operates as a family.
As we began talking about starting the evening service, we asked the question, what does our surrounding community need? What does South Tulsa really long for? We thought of facebook and twitter, myspace, linkedin, and a number of other social networking sites. We also thought of garage door openers that allow us to get into our homes without human contact. We see in our culture a desire to be connected, but in general a difficulty in actually doing so. The thing that the culture longs for, our life habits and technology actually prevent us from achieving. Even those who finally decide to go to Church, will find a place that is so big that it is easy to slip in and out of a pew without being noticed.
In thinking about what Ekklesia would be, we decided that what we do well, and what we have to offer to those who have no church home, is a place to belong; a place where you won’t go unnoticed in the pew. We built the evening as a snapshot of our Faith family. A meal together, a time of worship, and a time to be in community.
We have known from the beginning that some of you may make Ekklesia your service, you may prefer the style or worship, and you may enjoy celebrating communion on a weekly basis. You are welcome to come and be a part of it! However, our main goal is to fulfill the mission of the church, to change the world by sharing God’s love one person at a time. To reach out to our surrounding community, to those who do not have a church home, and for whom community is only a deep longing and not a reality, and to offer them a place to belong, a place where they will be cared for, and can care for others. We want to offer them a family.
Homework this week: This week you have a two-fold assignment. First, think of the ways in which we distance ourselves from those around us. (e.g. the garage door opener) Be intentional about making a connection with those around you (your neighbors, waiters, people in the checkout line.) Second, think of those around you who need a family, a place of community. Invite them to Ekklesia. Let us share our Faith family with them.