Sermon on the Mount

05 Aug 2010

This winter All Saints in Methven have started feed: an innovative fresh expression designed to connect with the skiing and snow boarding community who take over the area this time of year. Philip Baldwin donned his thermals to check it out.

Dave Clancey, priest assistant of Methven’s All Saints Church, is meeting the challenge of engaging with a winter season influx that doubles the number of Methven’s regular 1300 residents. Together with a small team of Christian skiers and snowboarders, he is helping his local congregation to do four months of intense ministry: ‘putting the gospel message in different clothes’, as he says.

feed is ‘church done differently’, a fresh expression of Anglican worship with three aims: physical feeding after a day on the ski fields, spiritual feeding to strengthen people whose culture idolises pleasure and experience, and equipping Christians who will ‘feed into’ other churches and environments when they leave Methven. Among these are Heather, a ski instructor from Australia, and Charlie, a skier from London on his gap year.

feed began in 2009 as a Thursday evening meal and bible study, and when the decision was made late last year to evolve it into a church service, the response from vestry and the wider church was incredibly supportive. A 5.30 pm start time Sunday evening catches people just when they’re deciding where to eat. Everyone receives a friendly welcome, Dave introduces the theme for the evening, and a brief prayer with discussion precede the “awesome food!” (Heather’s description). The emphasis is on quality, low cost meals, taking vegetarian and allergy concerns into account.

Since feed began on 13 June, Dave has been preaching on the theme of salvation as Paul presents it in Romans. Following the meal, there may be a testimony, a portion of scripture is always read, Dave preaches, and prayers (confession and intercessions) are included. “Then we go to work, ministry-wise.” Dave and six others actively lead further discussion over coffee, tea, and dessert, often until 8.30 pm.
feed expresses the gospel—salvation through faith in Jesus Christ—in a deliberate and focused ministry accessible to people who have little experience of faith or church. “It’s not me, it’s All Saints Church”, Dave insists. He credits the congregation for volunteering food, time, and involvement to help make feed what it is. Close to 30 Christians and non-Christians eating and worshiping together Sunday evenings confirm Dave’s assessment: “It’s real, it’s relational, by God’s grace it seems to be effective.”

Visit www.feed.org.nz for more information.

Words & Photo: Philip Baldwin