Final service at St.John's Stone

Yesterday the 26th August 2012 saw the final worship for St. John's (Methodist / United Reformed) Church at Granville Terrace, Stone, and it was my honour to lead worship for over 150 people packed into St. John's to celebrate the past and thank God for the vision and faith of so any saints in the life of our fellowship.

Some people in our community have said we are closing our Church, which just isnt true; all we have done is close our buildings and moved out. And so it was very important that we didn't make our time together just about looking back because we know that God is still leading us on giving us vision faith and hope for the future of our Church.

We believe Church is not a building or a location; we know that Church is people sharing life and worship, living in the power of God's Spirit, called to seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly before our God. Church is what we are when we live for Jesus, being transformed by Him so that through us others may find hope and love.

Last night we closed our buildings and God willing they will sell quickly and give us the funds we need to have our own premises again, we did not close a Church!

St. John's Stone is as alive and healthy as it has ever been. What's more St John's is growing.
We are a vibrant welcoming family Church and we move out of our buildings full of hope and faith. We worship next Sunday at our new temporary home at Walton Priory Middle School.

This new phase of our shared life together will be exciting and scary; moving out into the unknown always is.

A favourite song of mine at the moment is called 'Springsteen' by American singer Eric Church, and it contains this line 'its funny how a melody sounds like a memory' and how true a statement that is. Melodies, songs and hymns, readings, preachers even will all transport us back in our minds to the buildings and people we shared faith with at Granville Terrace. There are bound to be tears and sadness as we remember, but through all of these experiences we will be held by the hands of our God who calls us to journey with Him.

St. John's is on the move, God is leading out and on.

So will you pray for us as we go; that God would hold us tightly and fill us with His Spirit, and that joy would fill us as our Church begins this new life in Walton Priory Middle School.

God bless you

Revd. Neil