For the First Time...

I've been enjoying a new experience. For the first time (and hopefully the last time) I've had the joys of type-setting this month's Church magazine. Not really something that falls neatly into the role of treasurer I agree, but due to illness, busyness and general lack of experience with Publisher, it turned out that this month I was best placed to do the job.

And actually, I've quite enjoyed doing it. Okay, it was made easy for me - I had the template from before, I had the articles written by others - and there are lots of articles - and I had the computer and software already sorted out - I just needed to sit there and work out the best way to fit things in, to play with titles, to move boxes around - to make sure that what comes out is a professional looking communication - something which lets those within and outside our family get a little taste for what we're about.

This sort of stuff is important. As a church we have literally hundreds of  people coming in and out of our buildings every week - people who's only contact with us is their use of our rooms. Yes, they meet our people - and the cafe staff, and the receptionists and the staff who are in the building all the time do a really great job of talking to people and making them feel welcome. But one of the easiest and best ways for people to find out a bit about us is to be able to give them a lively, interesting and easy to read magazine, which shows a little of what we do, a little of why we do it, and hopefully a lot of Jesus in the process.

Which leaves me wondering, does my life serve the same purpose? Do people look at me, and, knowing that I'm a Christian, see something they like? Do they see the good things I experience from being part of a church, reflected back to them, or do they see someone weighed down with responsibility and restricted by duty and obligation? Most importantly, do they see the love of God, the mercy, grace and forgiveness that I have received, or do they see the judgementalism and legalism that they expect from Christians? Do they see, in me, at least a little bit of Jesus?