Home Church Sunday is generally once a month. In its simplest form it is about the home cell, be that family or friends, spending some God focused time together. Whether that be exploring Bible stories and passages around a kitchen table; around the house, with games; with art and craft; in the garden or out and about on a walk in God's creation (with or without the dog). It is about talking about God together and saying a prayer together.

For Home Church Sundays this year there are three options, two indoors and one outside:
Use the simple template with the colouring/doodle Chat Mat.
Alternatively watch The Chosen episode and use The Chosen resource sheet.
Go out and about after reading the Bible reading for some reflective time.

The TV series called ‘The Chosen’ is intended to fill in potential ‘backstories’ for the biblical characters and passages we come across in Jesus’ story. It’s painting a picture rather than just giving us the bare bones of Bible stories. Worried that the Chosen might take a few too many liberties with the story? They tell you that it is fictionalized, but they try to make it true to the heart of the Gospel. They encourage their audience to read along in the Bible yourself and think about how it might have looked.

There are additional resources for you as a family or cell group can use for your time focussed on God that week.

Why Home Church Sunday? Answer below.

Have a blessed time together.

Revd Rob Paddison

Why Home Church Sunday?
Home Church Sunday comes about from thinking about faith in the home, faith in the everyday and the challenge of faith consumerism in church. Covid-19 challenged the church as a whole to think about faith in the home. The Church of England has also been exploring this area prior to this with for example the Everyday Faith booklet of reflections and prayers. They have now set up the Faith at Home resource page on their website https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-action/faith-home. On it they say:

"While talking about being the vine, Jesus invites us to be at home in him, as he is at home in us (John 15:1-4 MSG). We are invited to imagine that we are sharing our everyday lives with each other and with God, intertwined by love as a community of growing faith."

I should say at this point that the Church of England is not saying don't go to church on Sundays whereas in some ways I am saying that. But not totally, because as a Pioneer Minister I am saying try having Home Church occasionally. In the long run, when it becomes familiar to hold Home Church, then when you can't get to church for whatever reason, you know that you can still have church that Sunday.

A Simple Structure can be helpful whether gathering together indoors or outdoors but also do be flexible.
• Gather Together – maybe leave an empty chair to symbolise inviting God into the moment.
• Candle – have a focal point of some kind and pray the gathering prayer.
• Colour – read or watch the Bible reading, use the Chat Mat or choose an alternative activity.
• Questions – think about the questions.
• Prayer – to end your prayers and time of Gathering, pray the Lord’s Prayer together.

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