Oli Preston writes

Last Saturday morning, while the Hear and Encounter day was starting in the main Christ Church building, we had our third ‘Multiply Greenhouse’ gathering in the Key Centre.  Greenhouse is a learning community, where we gather as teams who are hearing and responding to God’s call to explore new things - looking and listening for where God is calling us to love and serve, building community, sharing Jesus and seeing church happen.  We now have 5 teams who are part of this - all very different, and at different stages.  We come together to reflect back on where God has been at work, to be encouraged and equipped, and to prayerfully plan ahead for next steps.  It was so exciting on Saturday to share stories of where God has been at work, where we have tried things and it hasn’t worked but we’ve learned and grown, and what God is leading us into now.  

When we first started Greenhouse I shared a simple cartoon of a person with a backpack on - the caption is “I’ve no idea where I’m going.  Anyone care to join me?”.  This is a bit of a jokey way of capturing a really key element of what we are doing - setting off on an adventure together and letting God lead the way.  As Mark put it in morning prayer on Tuesday: “Calling will come as we serve.  Worry less about the mess than the blessing.”

God is at work.  Not just in the Greenhouse teams or the things that already are, but calling all of us to live for Him in every place we are.  As Jesus called His first disciples saying simply, “Come, follow Me”, today He invites us too to follow Him in new depth of encounter, belonging and purposeful service.  We don’t have to know the destination - we have a very trustworthy Guide.

Rev. Oli Preston
Multiply Minister (Bridlington) and 'Green Dean' for Bridlington Deanery