This weekend our Night Church crew will be heading away for the weekend together. They will be spending time in God's word (Paul will be speaking on 2 Peter), praying together, praising God and sharing the life of fellowship over meals, conversations and activities.
In Psalm 133 David reflects on the joy and blessing it is when God's people dwell together in unity. He says this,
How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.
The images he uses might seem strange to us but they're pictures of abundant blessing.
It's like someone's head being anointed but not just with a little oil, it's like a whole bottle full so the oil drips down the beard and onto the robe. It's like all the dew that falls on Mount Hermon, the highest mountain in Israel at 2,814m, all coming to rest on Mount Zion, a mere hill of a few hundred metres in Jerusalem.
When God's people live together in unity we experience the rich blessings that come from being reconciled to God in Christ and united to one another in the Spirit.
So it is no wonder that things like church camps produce so much growth in our community, in our unity and in our maturity as we sit under God's word together. They say you cram 6 months of community building into one weekend when you head away to church camp!
For this reason Night Church Weekend Away comes at such a crucial time of community formation. We've just welcomed in a bunch of new people as the year has begun and this is a key moment to help them get connected. Of the 38 people heading away 10 of them have started coming to Night Church in the last 12 months!
Please be praying for this important time in the life of our Night Church. Pray that God will work to draw together this community of his people and that lives will be transformed by his life-giving word. Ask that from this God will continue to multiply and mature wholehearted followers of Jesus at Night Church.
Grace & peace,
Andrew
P.S. Now is also the time to put the Church Camp in your diary! We will all be heading to El Rancho on the Kings Birthday Weekend (31 May - 2 June).