Jeremy’s amazing video response to the sermon last night.

We have been studying the book of Galatians this term at COTC and the major theme which Paul drives home passage by passage is the insidious and damaging error of legalism

Gal 3:3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

I think that very few of us are in danger of legalism in terms of our justification – in terms of how we start as Christians. But our great danger is that we fall into legalism when it comes to sanctification – in terms of our growth as Christians. And the implications of Legalism in terms of our attitudes to ourselves, to guilt, and even to the Gospel are serious.

“Legalism is common to us all In one degree or another because it is human nature. We want to do everything on our own; we want to be self-sufficient. we want to feel like we are in control. So when it comes to good works we look at them as the way in which we can control our salvation. If we are bad, we forfeit salvation; if we are good, we earn it.”

Or as John Piper puts it “Human effort is the insubordinate, self-determining ego which in religious people responds to God’s Word not with reliance on the Spirit but with reliance on self. It can produce a very rigorous morality, but it nullifies grace and removes the stumbling block of the cross.”

Pub theology starts this week.
It is intended to be a place where you can invite your friends who wouldn’t be comfortable at church. You can give them a flyer or point them to the website but the best thing to come yourself and bring people with you.

The format is simple. Beer conversation and God. Everything is up for discussion, no assumptions, no barriers to entry.
We meet upstairs at the Angelic pub in Islington every wednesday at 8pm.

There will flyers on the table so you can spot us. Flyer available for download here.

Some of the most important moments in the history of the church took place in the pub. Luther kick started the reformation over a few pints. The church of England was started in the white horse tavern. Hymns like ‘Love Divine, All Loves Excelling’ were inspired by pub music. And to my mind all the best conversations take place in the pub.

The format is simple. Beer conversation and God. Everything is up for discussion, no assumptions, no barriers to entry. If you are going to get upset because someone questions something that is important to you maybe this isn’t for you, but if you think that whatever might be true ought to be able to stand up to being questioned maybe it is.

We meet upstairs at the Angelic pub in Islington every wednesday at 8pm. [Google map here]

There will flyers on the table so you can spot us. Flyer available for download here.

We celebrated the end of our building project, and rededicated the building last night. The place looked beautiful, as did everybody, and there was quite a lot of dancing. But the new floor is okay!
Lots of picture on my flickr page. [more to come]

Well we have had some adventures this summer, but it is good to be back. Yesterday had a real sense of new beginnings – and that wasn’t just the lovely new building.
For those of you who missed it here is the ‘Streets’ film that Ruth made.

Francis Blight has been in the studio with Stuart Mclean and others, and their work seems to be paying off. You can listen to tracks online and download a free MP3 of ‘My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less’
His 6 track mini album called ‘New skin for old song’ is now available at Cross Rhythms Direct

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This is cool – a cross between wikipedia and google maps called Wikimapia. It is essentially google maps with articles about landmarks. Anyone can add locations and articles, so why not contribute your favourite places around Islington (or beyond). I have added Church on the Corner.

Judy Low is heading out to Egypt for three months with World Horizons. She is going to be working at two special needs centres outside Cairo and utilising her physiotherapy skills.

Please book tickets now for her fundraiser in the 18th August. Flyer here

It will be great fun, and we want to support JLow in this adventure. And Tom Preston will preside over the wine tasting which always makes for a memorable evening…
It will take place at the crypt at St James Clerkenwell Price includes a 3 Course meal & Wine Tasting.
but buy your tickets now or you will miss out!

This sunday is the first of our ON TOUR events. We are visiting Moot at St Matthews Westminster [Map]

Moot are hosting a labyrinth service which is an ancient form of worship reframed into the contemporary as way of prayer and intimacy with God. Through it people have experienced God whether they are spiritually searching or have a Christian faith. Additionally, the BBC will be recording the event, but don’t feel intimidated – your ability to worship and encounter God will be the focus of the time. For more info on labyrinths see www.labyrinth.org.uk

We will get there at 6.30pm in time to grab a coffee and chat with people involved in the community, the service will start at 7pm.

Place: St Matthews Church
Meet up: 6.15 outside Westminster tube (facing Big Ben)

I’ve been to a few churches around town and they just annoy the **** out of me because they’re so fake, and the people look so lost, and the people on the stage just look so plastic and so charming and so seductive, and I just think ‘I don’t believe in these people’. These people are not an expression of faith. So, I’d much rather just slip into a church and sit there for 10 minutes and have a bit of quiet time, or pray at home. I don’t feel that you necessarily have to turn up at a certain place at a certain time dressed in a certain way to express your faith and live out your faith. I think there’s other ways of doing it.

I am once again inspired by this BBC 2 Series ‘The Monstery”, and this is the experience of church of a genuinely seeking spiritual guy. His experience is far from unique, and this is important.

Below is the video from St Mary’s last night based around a song by aqualung called “easier to lie…”

I’m not planning on making a habit of this, but recorded the talk for last week on DVD. If you missed it you can watch it below.
Part 1

Part 2

Last Sunday our morning congregation had lunch together and we talked about where our service was going. We had a really good conversation, and you can read the notes from it here:
What is next for the morning Service

Responses and further thoughts are welcome below. My plan is to draw these ideas together into a statement of vision, and present this to both services as part of our vision seeking exercise.

We started our new series last Sunday at Church called ‘To the ends of the earth’. The first in the series is The Call and if you missed it, or want a recap you can download it here

Comments below as usual

We have set up a part of this website for creative ideas for church, a place to throw ideas around, or ask for advice. I hope it will be a resource for our service leaders or any of you involved in communicating, and a way of continuing our pursuit of authentic creative worship.
It is moderated by some of the experienced creatives in church so you can throw ideas at them, or seek their wisdom on how to do stuff better…

Bit tired this morning because I sat up way too late last night answering questions on Yahoo’s new Answers forum. It is quite an interesting concept – people get to ask any question they like, whether it is about their homework, or about the existence of God, and then others answer them and you can vote on the best answer.
As ever with these online discussions there is plenty on nonsense, but I am intrigued by the possibilities.

I think this might be a great idea for the church website – what do you think?

I haven’t found the technology to implement something like this. Does anyone have any suggestions?

We are going video crazy on this blog – sorry about that. However here is a genius advertisement by a US denomination called ‘ejector pew’ and asking for peoples stories of rejection by church.

“God doesn’t reject people. Neither do we”