Chads News - 11th September 2025

 Dear Church family,

We had such a positive start to the new academic year on Sunday at ReSet.  It is always good to bring our church family of all ages together and there was a real sense of joy as we worshipped & prayed together.  It was beautiful to share communion together informally around tables at lunch too.  (This Sunday our service times revert to the usual times of 9.15am and 11am).

One person commented Sunday felt like a homecoming/coming back to family, which is a beautiful description of what these moments of connection are about.  As well as the opportunities to worship and engage with God’s Word, church is a family and we love St Chads to feel like home. 

Over the years I’ve written here and preached a number of times on the themes of ‘home’ and ‘family’. They are words with deep rich meaning for many of us, some of that the beautiful powerful experience of belonging, being known and loved.  For others ‘home’ and ‘family’ can carry mixed feelings, including some pain or regret. Whatever those words mean to us God’s vision for home and family are a place of full immersion in what it is like to be loved, known and accepted.  Sharing communion around tables was a way to help us develop that sense of home and family together, with God at the centre.   

One key part of the vision for that was to integrate more a sense of God being amongst us when we gather socially to eat.  Whilst we know God is with us all the time, it’s possible to separate ‘the God bit’ in church from ‘the family bit’ in the sociable meal in Guywood.  There was something so profound about focussing on God by worshipping and thanking him together around a meal table, making us more aware that the time we spend as God’s family we are on holy ground.  When Jesus gave us communion it was a meal-time with his friends and it is also a foretaste of our banquet in heaven with all of God’s family.

One thing which distinguishes a family from an organisation is that family is where we learn to serve, because we share a sense of belonging.  I see this lived out beautifully at St Chads.  As we start this new season I want to thank you for the ways you serve the St Chads family.  Part of our culture of belonging is one of serving and we see that played out everyday in so many ways.  As we start a new season there are various changes to teams and new people stepping into new roles, thank you for hearing God’s call and being willing to contribute to our family life.

With love,

Richard

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