I appreciate this very much, Daniel. Your Christian’s Bill of Rights is strong. You might be interested in my adaptation of Luther’s 95 Theses: https://onceaweek.substack.com/p/thesis-96-f50. I’m glad to keep running in to more people speaking up about the problem of spiritual abuse.
Thank you Aaron. We intersect on several points and I appreciate the work that must have gone into writing that out. More work is needed to see if there are spiritual rights hidden in there somewhere that I haven't already enumerated. Thank you for your work in the gospel.
About time somebody pointed out that the system is rotten and almost always has been. I am so much happier and safer now in a faith community without hierarchy
Hi Daniel, two of us lead the group but this just means we meet to plan the activities, prayers etc.
One is paid and employed by the Church of England as a Children and Families worker. She is under the authority of the local parish priest but it's a pretty 'hands off' supervision. I work in a voluntary capacity.
All members, including children, are valued equally for their input. We operate as a part of the Church of England but as 'Wild Church' we meet outside in nature, varying our location and often walking together for a large part of the time.
For a significant part of each meeting time, people are free to do their own activities, wander off for a walk etc and then come back together for prayers at the end. There is plenty of time for discussion ( in the group or one to one ) of the bible text for the day and the issues raised/ what we feel God is saying/ experiences we have had. Again, children are equally valued and included in this. I mention all this because the format also helps to reduce the perception of leaders as people to be followed.
Unsurprisingly, we attract people who can't face traditional Church anymore, have been unwelcome or hurt in other settings, have other faith backgrounds or who would just never consider going into a church building.
There's lots of outdoor church groups operating in the UK and elsewhere. They are each different in feel it seems, quite a lot seem to be a version of 'normal' church but just outside and others seen as a quirky alternative to Sunday School (ours is seen like that by some people who don't actually know what we do!) I think the amount of freedom given to each group probably varies according to who has supervision etc. I am not the main leader and didn't set it up but I get the impression we are somewhat different to other groups doing outdoor worship, at least in our local area. Another similar group, larger than ours but still Church of England I think is Magdalene Community Church in the North East of England.
I appreciate this very much, Daniel. Your Christian’s Bill of Rights is strong. You might be interested in my adaptation of Luther’s 95 Theses: https://onceaweek.substack.com/p/thesis-96-f50. I’m glad to keep running in to more people speaking up about the problem of spiritual abuse.
Thank you Aaron. We intersect on several points and I appreciate the work that must have gone into writing that out. More work is needed to see if there are spiritual rights hidden in there somewhere that I haven't already enumerated. Thank you for your work in the gospel.
About time somebody pointed out that the system is rotten and almost always has been. I am so much happier and safer now in a faith community without hierarchy
Thanks for your comment! What kind of structure (if any) does your group have?
Hi Daniel, two of us lead the group but this just means we meet to plan the activities, prayers etc.
One is paid and employed by the Church of England as a Children and Families worker. She is under the authority of the local parish priest but it's a pretty 'hands off' supervision. I work in a voluntary capacity.
All members, including children, are valued equally for their input. We operate as a part of the Church of England but as 'Wild Church' we meet outside in nature, varying our location and often walking together for a large part of the time.
For a significant part of each meeting time, people are free to do their own activities, wander off for a walk etc and then come back together for prayers at the end. There is plenty of time for discussion ( in the group or one to one ) of the bible text for the day and the issues raised/ what we feel God is saying/ experiences we have had. Again, children are equally valued and included in this. I mention all this because the format also helps to reduce the perception of leaders as people to be followed.
Unsurprisingly, we attract people who can't face traditional Church anymore, have been unwelcome or hurt in other settings, have other faith backgrounds or who would just never consider going into a church building.
That is a compelling structure! Do you have an essay expounding on that structure?
No! But I guess I could write one...
I'm in support of that! It's a novel organisation. I wonder if it is common practice or, as they say, a special dispensation from the COE.
There's lots of outdoor church groups operating in the UK and elsewhere. They are each different in feel it seems, quite a lot seem to be a version of 'normal' church but just outside and others seen as a quirky alternative to Sunday School (ours is seen like that by some people who don't actually know what we do!) I think the amount of freedom given to each group probably varies according to who has supervision etc. I am not the main leader and didn't set it up but I get the impression we are somewhat different to other groups doing outdoor worship, at least in our local area. Another similar group, larger than ours but still Church of England I think is Magdalene Community Church in the North East of England.
Excellent text. May God use you for His Glory.
Thanks Serge!