It's Happening Right Now

And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they
received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with
all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being
saved.
Acts 2:46-47

Dear Friends,

Just a few weeks ago we started not only Lent but also a parish pilgrimage called the 40
Days of Community. Thus far it has been an incredibly powerful journey for a good
number of us at St. Andrew's. God has been doing some extraordinary things among us!
For one thing, a record number of over 70 adults have been involved in small groups this
Lent, and this has proven to be the most powerful component of the campaign. God
meant this to be so!

In the book of Acts, we read about what evolved into the normal Christian life. At first
Jesus incorporated other Jews into His faith community and their worship in synagogues
and the Jerusalem Temple continued. These first Christians also got together in smaller
groups in homes. Breaking bread is New Testament language for Holy Communion, and
Christians celebrated this sacrament in house churches along with regular fellowship
around meals. These small house church gatherings were instrumental for the expansion
of the church since outsiders saw in these house gatherings the love that Christians had for
each other and were drawn to faith by that love. Small groups of Christians still have this
power today!

When people see the Christian life being lived out in authentic ways they are drawn into
that life. Day by day God added members to the church in the book of Acts. God still
does this today where there are Christians sharing the love of God in the power of the
Holy Spirit. This outreach dynamic is part of the reason that small groups are so essential
for the life of the church. Another reason is the impact that a small group can have on
each of us. As Rick Warren says in our Better Together adult workbook,

"It's only in community that we learn life's most important lesson-learning how to love.
Without relationships, we'll never be able to develop patience, kindness, unselfishness,
forgiveness, and all the other Christlike qualities that wants us to possess" (p. 8).

Small groups facilitate growth in ways that just don't happen as well through other means.
Our 40 Days of Community ends on Easter Day, April 16, but our small groups need not
do so. Some small groups that participated in the 40 Day, like our Canterbury Way
group, will reorganize and return to their usual format. Other groups like our Kerygma
Bible study and our Tuesday morning Bible study will pick up where they left off prior to
Lent. Our other 40 Days groups have all been invited to continue together using new
study materials.

What we have experienced this Lent is normal biblical Christianity. Personal discipleship
through worship, service, evangelism, Christian education and fellowship with each other
during the week is the way God intended for us to live! That's what so powerful about
our Lenten experience. Living the way that God intended us to live is exhilarating! I hope
that if you participated in a small group during Lent that you will continue to do so after
Easter. If you did not participate in a small group, I hope that you will join one soon.
There is no better way to live the Christian life with your brothers and sisters in Christ at
St. Andrew's and to reach out in love to those around us!

Yours in Christ,
The Rev. Tony Seel
Rector