Study 7: THE COMMUNITY

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#999933" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="040006e0ddwnfv.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage - Oxford's Christian Environmental Group</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><B>     |    </B></FONT><B> </B><A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sage Oxfords Christian Environmental Gr"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>THE COMMUNITY</B></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" background="041bec00esnpes.png"> <div> <B>NEW in 2004</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <div> <B>Some time after the production of the first set of six </B><A HREF="bibstuds.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sage Bible Studies"><U><B>Sage Bible Studies</B></U></A><B> Margot Hodson and Clare Newgass produced a seventh study which we have recently rediscovered and reproduce here.</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Study 7: THE COMMUNITY</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>AIMS</B></div> <div> a) To demonstrate how a greener lifestyle can strengthen a community.</div> <div> b)To show that a simple lifestyle lived out in community is at the heart of the gospel.</div> <bR> <div> Bible passages:</div> <div>      Acts 2:42-47</div> <div>      Matthew 6:25-34</div> <div>      Isaiah 55:1-3</div> <bR> <div> Read: Acts 2:42-47</div> <div> Note down all the things which typified and created a community lifestyle for these first Christians. In your list, you will find some things which represent  the “spiritual” and other things which are more practical. The spiritual aspects have untold importance in building a worshipping community, but  it is possible that the Christians might overlook the practical issues in a modern church. For this study we will concentrate on the practical attributes for our lifestyle guidelines.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>They met together frequently. </B></I></div> <div> How can we improve our access to the community?</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>They shared everything in common</B></I></div> <div> Churches often have a small library, but what other resources could be shared through the church community?</div> <bR> <div> <I>Sharing beyond the community</I></div> <div> How can we share outside of the community?</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>They gave to those in need</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Conclusion for the Acts passage.</B></I></div> <div> All these things will facilitate the spiritual side of the community. A close, sharing community can more easily be a worshipping and praying community.</div> <bR> <div> Are these practical things just good ideas or do they really touch the heart of Jesus' teaching? </div> <div> Read: Matthew 6:25-34</div> <div> Is simple lifestyle simple?</div> <div> What other Gospel passages teach about a simple lifestyle and sharing with one another?</div> <div> <I>(eg Good Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37, John the Baptist - Luke 3:11-14)</I></div> <bR> <div> Discussion</div> <div> <B>Building trust in God's community</B></div> <div> There is a tendency for modern life not to live in community. It is easy to live more privately. Sharing skills and belongings will bring a community closer. Community living can have problems: people may  not give things back; some people may end up on call for every need.</div> <div> How can we be sensitive to prevent these situations?</div> <div> Do we need to take risks?</div> <div> Meditation</div> <div> <B>Read Isaiah 55:1-3</B></div> <div> Have a time of silence and then lead into open prayer.</div> <div> Final Conclusion</div> <div> <I>Simple lifestyle will help to build and strengthen a worshipping Christian community.</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Bible Study: The Community Leader's Notes</B></div> <bR> <div> Aims: a) To demonstrate how a greener lifestyle can strengthen a community.</div> <div>            b)To show that a simple lifestyle lived out in community is at the heart of the gospel.</div> <bR> <div> Bible passages:</div> <div>      Acts 2:42-47</div> <div>      Matthew 6:25-34</div> <div>      Isaiah 55:1-3</div> <bR> <div> Read: Acts 2:42-47</div> <div> Note down all the things which typified and created a community lifestyle for these first Christians.</div> <div> Devotion to teaching, the breaking of bread, prayer and worship.</div> <div> Met together frequently. (This is mentioned four times.)</div> <div> Shared everything in common</div> <div> Gave to those in need.</div> <bR> <div> In your list, you will find some things which represent  the “spiritual” and other things which are more practical. The spiritual aspects have untold importance in building a worshipping community, but  it is possible that the Christians might overlook the practical issues in a modern church. For this study we will concentrate on the practical attributes for our lifestyle guidelines.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I>1.2 </I><I><B>They met together frequently. </B></I></div> <div> How can we improve our access to the community?</div> <bR> <div> <I>These early believers would have been familiar with a Sabbath day's walk to their weekly place of worship. Though many came from outside of Jerusalem, during this period they lived in close proximity to one another.</I></div> <div> <I>It is not always possible to live close to your church, work, schools etc but the principle of living as close as possible to one another is a good one. It will help the community to become closer knit, but it will also lessen the use of motor vehicles. Where people do have to travel by car, how about sharing lifts?</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I>1.3</I><I><B> They shared everything in common</B></I></div> <div> Churches often have a small library, but what other resources could be shared through the church community?</div> <div> <I>Ideas:      A tools bank </I></div> <div> <I>     A skills bank (cf LETS scheme)</I></div> <div> <I>     A baby/children's clothes bank</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I>Sharing beyond the community</I></div> <div> How can we share outside of the community?</div> <div> <I>Ideas:     Lifts to school/work etc.</I></div> <div> <I>     Church become involved in recycling?</I></div> <div> <I>          Collecting papers etc from people without transport.</I></div> <div> <I>          Used stamps etc.</I></div> <div> <I>     Use of our buildings - for secular community functions?</I></div> <div> <I>     Use of our land - graveyards.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>1.4 </I><I><B>They gave to those in need</B></I></div> <div> <I>Helping social needs in our own community.</I></div> <div> <I>Supporting projects overseas:</I></div> <div> <I>     Appropriate technology projects</I></div> <div> <I>     Environmental projects</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Conclusion for the Acts passage.</B></I></div> <div> All these things will facilitate the spiritual side of the community. A close, sharing community can more easily be a worshipping and praying community.</div> <bR> <div> Are these practical things just good ideas or do they really touch the heart of Jesus' teaching? </div> <div> <B>Read: Matthew 6:25-34</B></div> <div> Is simple lifestyle simple?</div> <div> What other Gospel passages teach about a simple lifestyle and sharing with one another?</div> <div> <I>(eg Good Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37, John the Baptist - Luke 3:11-14)</I></div> <bR> <div> Discussion</div> <div> <B>Building trust in God's community</B></div> <div> There is a tendency for modern life not to live in community. It is easy to live more privately. Sharing skills and belongings will bring a community closer. Community living can have problems: people may  not give things back; some people may end up on call for every need.</div> <div> How can we be sensitive to prevent these situations?</div> <div> Do we need to take risks?</div> <div> Meditation</div> <div> <B>Read Isaiah 55:1-3</B></div> <div> Have a time of silence and then lead into open prayer.</div> <div> Final Conclusion</div> <div> <I>Simple lifestyle will help to build and strengthen a worshipping Christian community.</I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I>Ó</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I> Sage 1996, by Margot Hodson and Clare Newgass</I></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>