Meanwhile in Melbourne

After a rather cool sub zero 150 mile ride to Berkshire, where I left the bike in the very capable hands of Grub for some routine work whilst I'm away, I've headed a long way south from Heathrow. Some dates to follow in NZ next week, but in the meantime I shall be getting rid of jet lag and preparing in Melbourne. Catching up with great friends here and speaking at St. Martin's in Collingwood on Sunday  - on a day when many remember the tragic fires that burned four years ago taking the lives of dear ones. Every stop along the way is punctuated by people and their stories - sometimes it's óur story' as many of the folks I spend time with I've know for a few decades now - whether it be lunch with my mechanic mate back home, my hosts here in Melbourne, dear friends at St Martin's I shall try to encourage, Buckshot out in NZ who's organised my itinerary there and the New South Wales crew I'll see for 24 hours enroute home. As I reflect on 25 years of ministry this year, the 'story' involves so many people and places. So many complex interwoven threads of friendships, support and challenges. As we remember the Transfiguration of Christ this week, I am reminded of the ongoing transformational power of the living God - occasionally it's a miraculous mountain top experience, more often it's back down the hill, in the valley, where Jesus took his mates directly afterwards amid the chaos and questions.

Additional Tribal Gatherings At Zac's Place

Deliberately different to most 'church' gatherings, but in a similar vein to our long running Tuesday night Tribal Gatherings, Zac's Place - A Church For Ragamuffins, will also provide opportunity for Jesus followers to gather, to share stories, prayers, readings, songs, art and struggles in a unique environment on the first Sunday of each month from 3rd Feb.

It will be similar, in as much that group participation is encouraged, (but not compulsory) and a little more structure to Tuesdays  - but it's not about a couple of people entertaining a congregation, more about a corporate adventure rather than any heroic individual pursuit.  It continues to be about a community of people working out together what it is to live under the rule of Christ. So come along and feel free to bring something to the table - either to eat or to share in words, or just be in the company of like minded pilgrims and feed on the fellowship, conversation and honesty that marks our gatherings.

For this first gathering we'll be looking at what Jesus meant when he said; "Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5 v 3) - using Bill Taylor- Beales painting based on the words, as inspiration.
Psalm 31 will also feature - so have a read of it, at this link first and see what it stirs up.

Zac's Place - A Church For Ragamuffins

Sunday 3 Feb and each first Sunday of the month, from 4pm 

Tuesday Night Tribal Gatherings continue each week from 7.30pm

Map:

Zac's Place, George Street, Swansea, SA1 4HH.

New Creations of God's Grace

Some of our friends and supporters will be aware of Zac's Place connections with Fresh Expressions, originally a joint initiative of both the Church of England and Methodist denominations, for exploring new ways of being church. Some may wonder how and where Zac's Place fits in as it is neither Anglican or Methodist by formal association!

Here in a farewell speech from Rowan Williams, whilst speaking at 'Following The Missionary Spirit' last week in London, summing up the progress of the Fresh Expressions movement, he gives some indication where Zac's Place fitted in with his early thinking behind it and why we have the connection we do.

It's also a message the wholeheartedly endorses much of the way we have been functioning as a community of faith together, as a 'new creation of God's grace'. Have a listen and be encouraged about the bigger picture. We have been very grateful for Rowan's ongoing keen interest and support over this past ten years during his time as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Video Update for Fresh Expressions

Here's a short video update I did for Fresh Expressions just prior to the tour dates back in September - mainly chatting about the struggles and encouragements we experience at Zac's Place. Hope you find it helpful.
See the video in it's context on the Fresh Expressions site here and have a bit of an explore around the site to see what else is going on. For those with specific interest in the Fresh Expressions initiatives, there's an event in London on 22 Nov which maybe of interest.

Never Stop Asking The Questions

When Zac's Place began 14 years ago, we called it, 'Zac's Place - Church In A Pub?' The question mark was always very important, as we really didn't know what, if anything, it would develop into. In many ways, although we are now 'Zac's Place - A Church For Ragamuffins', it remains important to ask the questions - What is Church and are we fulfilling the mandate that we find in the Scriptures?

In the current series of studies and discussions at our Tuesday evening Tribal Gatherings, we are looking at those issues. I often ask three questions of any church activity to ascertain whether it fulfills a role or whether it's just something we do because that's what we've always done. They are all based on relationship - how does what we do affect our relationship, (and therefore connection, view, understanding etc) with a) God b) each other and c) the wider community we serve. If we struggle to answer at least one of those positively for any endeavor as 'church', we really did ought to be asking ourselves, 'what are we doing it all for then?'

This week, we also welcomed Roy Jenkins from BBC Radio Wales to join with us. You can catch an interview with me and various  sound bites from our time together on his 'All Things Considered' Programme on BBC Radio Wales this Sunday, 30 Sep at 9am and it will be available on iPlayer afterwards and on their Podcast.


UPDATE:
Listen to this interview here:

When Love Crosses The Great Divide Preview

Zac's Place - Some History

How did Zac's Place start? ... here's an extract from our website

Some of The Earlier History ...

As a result of an established and ongoing ministry within the biking and arts communities, a need became apparent to provide a forum for Christian community and discipleship among them. Questions were being raised, amid priestly roles being fullfilled, among groups of people somewhat removed from many church expressions - we wanted to find a way to make a deeper connection and therefore create an opportunity to see change in peoples lives. After discussion among a few interested folk, other missional minded church leaders and drawing from Sean's experience within God's Squad, (whose history dates back to the Jesus Movement era of the late 60's), Zac's Place - "Church in a Pub?" began to gather each sunday night in the Autumn of 1998. The question mark was important as we didn't know what, if anything, it would develop into.

It needs to be understood, this wasn't just taking what happens in many churches on any given Sunday and dumping it in a bar. That would have been a futile exercise. It was building up from the grass roots, using language and images that related, without compromising the message and growng into a community of people wanting to follow Jesus and serve others. It would be fair to say that many encouraged the venture, but it was not without it's critics and to some extent, that remains.

Live music and the natural communal atmosphere of a bar helped us create a forum for building relationships with the many and varied folk that came. Sean's punchy and topical talks, based on the bible, managed to connect with some of of the most hard nosed cynics.

Over a seven year period, pretty much every Sunday night, using four* different bars in Swansea city centre, a mixed bag of bikers, musicians, students, rough sleepers, walking wounded spiritual refugees and truth seekers gathered. People found Jesus in community, in the brokeness of fragile lives, where the common ground was level ground; poverty of spirit. Some folk were encouraged in their recovery from addictions and we worked alongside local and national agencies, others whose faith had been battered by negative church experience had their wounds tended whilst others found a level of communication they could relate and respond to to see their christian faith develop. Some people are still around, for some it was an important staging post others were travellers passing through.

It was also a time of immense creativity, so much so we worked with HTV Wales on a mini series of 5 programmes featuring live music, poetry, interviews and reflection from Sean. We ran stages of live music, by invitation of promoters, in Swansea city centre and also at a festival in Singleton Park and have occasionally taken Zac's Place out on the road for events.

Eventually we had a dilemna. Many of those attracted to us had significant issues of addiction that they were wrestling with. The pub, whilst the best place to meet people is not the best place for everything. The search began for a sacred space of our own.

In 2003 we bought an old Gospel Hall, in Swansea city centre, which had shut it's doors the previous year. Over the next few years Zac's Place became known as "A Church For Ragamuffins" continuing on the same principles that it started with; an open door and a warm welcome to all. Bible teaching, discipleship and serving the poor and vulnerable continue to be the main stays of activity. It continues to be a mission church very much at home on the margins.

Finding Us In The Past ....

* You may have found us hanging out in smokey bars at at the Subteranea Bar, The Green Dragon, Ellington's at the Duke of York and The Office