" A building does not a church make "

We all know what a building that houses a church looks like. I want to tell you of a few churches I have come across in my life time.

Let us remember that church, is an action word,

and many times we turn it into a noun.

How about the very first church, that is so significant this time of the year? the church that took place so long ago in Bethlehem. We still commemorate this day in our present time, because it was the begining of Christianity. This is the day when our redeemer came into the world to live among us and form a church. This small church was the true presence of God, Jesus himself. This church building was a humble edifice,where animals were kept, a small stable.

• Those present to worship then were the poor and the rich alike and of course a multitude of angels from above to pay homage and adore Jesus. The spirit of wonder and awe, the spirit of love the spirit of peace and the spirit of God's presence that we all search for, were found there in this humble shelter.

• In this desolate and cold stable, praise, adoration,prayer, and song were heard.Church was seen when Mother Teresa of Calcutta, found Jesus in the poor, leper and orphans and took care of them when no one else would. When we care for one of the least, we are truly church.

• I saw church when a small child of six brought food to the homeless in the west side of Chicago. The little boy blessed them and they prayed and brought them crosses to remind them that Jesus loved them. As this child gave them blankets to keep them warm, it brought tears to my eyes. These were blankets that he had when he was a small baby. To see them receive these simple gifts with so much gratitude, touched my heart.

• In these building, we must gather together and discover ourselves and learn to be church to one another. To become church we must put our needs aside and become one with each other and fulfill the Christ mission.

• If we read the Acts of the Apostles, we realize that church was servicing those in need and providing spiritual growth for those gathering together so that they could find Jesus in one another and bring that Jesus to others. We must become more like Jesus.

• Some of us are always searching for the perfect church, the perfect pastor the perfect community. Let me tell you a secret, the only perfect church is Christ. Since we are the church, and we are not perfect, we are only human, the church is as good as its members.

What makes a church? You and I in union with God. We all say the church should be doing this or that, so lets get up and do it. We are the church.

Ask yourself this question, What is lacking in your church? Then look within yourself and see, that what is lacking in the church is lacking within you. You are church.

Church isn't where you meet.

Church isn't a building.

Church is what you do.

Church is who you are.

Church is the human outworking of the person of Jesus Christ.

Lets not go to Church.

Lets be church.

Bridget Willard