Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God. (Psalm 48 v1)
Reading may not be a city, but these opening words from Psalm 48 were read as a small group headed out on a bright crisp morning, into the neighbourhood SW of the church building at Wesley (see previous No time to stop).
Look...
... buildings changed in use from the original: offices now residential, houses now
commercial property and so on. Food for thought and prayer as Wesley starts a
project to further refurbish a former house into additional meeting rooms and office
space for use by the church and the community
commercial property and so on. Food for thought and prayer as Wesley starts a
project to further refurbish a former house into additional meeting rooms and office
space for use by the church and the community
... many of the streets we walked are in a conservation area...but there is plenty of
deterioration in the fabric of the area too
deterioration in the fabric of the area too
 |
| Competing for space: branches of two sorts |
 |
| Competing for space: behind buildings |
Listen...
... noise of traffic on surrounding roads was never far away, even though the morningpeak period was past.
... surprisingly peaceful in one or two of the side streets, particularly those which are
mostly residential.
... sounds of daily household chores
Pray...
... for faith communities as they serve the neighbourhood including the '4 churches and
a mosque' close by.
... for the early stages of the refurbishment project at Wesley - that the leading group
will be attentive to God's guidance in their practical tasks.
... thanks for the continuing work of the Women's Centre, Frontline (debt counselling
agency) which are already using the premises for their work.
... for the social care sector in general - there are several agencies with offices in the
neighbourhood.
... for the continuing period of reflection about the future mission of Wesley, and a
sense of being drawn to serve the neighbourhood in a different way.
... as we focus on the observance of Lent, is God competing for space in our lives?
Walk about Zion, go all around it,
count its towers,
consider well its ramparts;
go through its citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
that this is God,
our God for ever and ever.
He will be our guide for ever.
(Psalm 48 v12-14)
