I had great coversation with the pre-school leaders at St George today – it has taken a while before I have felt they have wanted to engage in conversation with the church- there is a lot of hurt on both sides. We had a conversation about the building and how it would be a shame if it has to be knocked down so many of the church buildings in the area have shut and they don’t want to see another one close. They feel its part of the community, and its a good resource that should be used – which I do agree with, its better than giving the building over to developers to build more flats.
Then I was driving in the centre of Bristol near the new Cabot Circus shopping centre and on the side of the building there was some graffiti and it said ‘ Today’s Empire, tomorrow’s relics.’ How true is that! Today shopping is worth everything although drastically its loosing value due to the credit crunch, and in a few yrs it will be a relic and it will all be worthless. The church at St George is small, elderly congregation, dwindling, and for those ‘looking in’ one might say a relic of the past. I do however think there is hope, because the church is not supposed to be an empire built on prestige, wealth and dominance but a subversive, loving, grace-filled community which is built not by human hands but by Jesus. So because of its builder I have hope. Empires become relics, but Jesus-centered communites live on.
