Lay Ministry

Today started early for me. The alarm went off at 5.50am, a quick shower, breakfast and a kiss on the check for Hubby.

I had to pick up two other ladies and drive one and a half hours to Te Kuiti for a Lay Ministry Training Day meeting that started at 8.45am.
It was my first time for this as it is something new God is taking me through.
The day started with two Bishops preaching and then two work shops in the afternoon.
There was lots of food and although a cold, foggy day the fellowship was great.
One of the things I would like to share is from Bishop Phil.
He preached on "The abiding significance of a sacred space - one place for all places"
Psalm 24:1 says "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it". All places are sacred because the Lord claims them all but the reading of scripture sets apart more holy places.

He asked us 'What are places sacred to us and why?'

This called to mind two places at our home.....
One is an alter of stones I had built a few years ago. I was in recovery from a time of being very low and after being in hospital. God asked me to lay down all the things that I thought I had control over; my hubby, each of my children, my home, my job, my hobbies and other things. I found rocks and stones around the section and piled them up, naming each one for something I was handing back to God.
I had read in Genesis 35:3 "...I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone." It has become a 'sacred place' for me for it is a reminder to continually give back to God the things I try to control, when I can't.

Its a little covered in leave fall from the Manuka trees beside it but it is still a reminder.

The other place is in a nook part in our house where I can sit and read and look out at our plum tree. God often talks to me by using the plum tree.

The Bishop had gone on to say that it seems that despite ourselves we sanctify places, whether that place is personal or public. This work of 'storying', giving it shape and purpose, and bringing order to chaos, is necessary because human beings can not live in the formless and trackless space. A place is a space where something has happened; words have been spoken. We shape the place and afterwards it shapes us - it gains a symbol about them that influences the way we are towards the place.

I realised that even I have 'sacred places' around me.