"Who
do the crowds say that I am?" Luke 9: 19
A couple of years ago, our son returned home from a shopping trip with his mother and proudly showed me his latest purchase… a black tee shirt, on which was printed the phrase, "Jesus is my Homeboy". You might well imagine my angst around this particular item, at least until Tracy assured that I needn't be worried, "it's a good thing." It seems that I am woefully un-informed when it comes to today's culture and its expressions. It got me thinking though, about how people have referred to Jesus over the generations, and who Jesus is for us today.
We begin this time of Lenten preparation, which is for us as Christians, the opportunity to make ourselves ready to celebrate anew the paschal mystery in the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour. It affords us the time, if we will take it, to ponder the question which Jesus posed to the disciples and indeed, to each of us, as well as the implications that our relationship with him have in terms of how we live in this twenty-first century as people of faith, followers of Christ. I pray that you will take the opportunity to come and journey with us through this time of prayer and reflection, and that, as we draw near to Holy Week, that you will join us as we move "from the glory of the palms to the glory of the resurrection, by way of the dark road of suffering and death…", and that through this journey, in whatever cultural expression seems most fitting to you, you will come to know anew, that Jesus is God's Son, that he is Lord and Saviour, that he is our Homeboy.
It is a joy to welcome you to this, our parish web site. Perhaps you are one of those who are looking to find the presence of God in your own life journey, a search that in the midst the noise and confusion of our age, can at times seem overwhelming. Maybe we can be of some assistance. Contained within this site are examples of the ministry that we share as the parish of Christ Church, Chatham. We enjoy a wonderful mix of young and old, those who are new to the faith, as well as those who are mature Christians. In the midst of a wonderful blend of personalities comes the blessing of a variety of gifts and ministries. May the information you find here encourage you in your own faith journeys. We invite you to come and make your spiritual home with us at Christ Church, but pray that wherever you are, you will find a Christian community where you can deepen your faith, and put your talents and gifts to work. Wherever you are, your prayers for the ministry of the people of Christ Church, Chatham would be appreciated.
We are thankful for the people of Christ Church, who give of themselves freely in the ministry of the church, for their commitment to carrying out the commission that our Lord gave to us all, and we are thankful for you who have visited us here. We invite you to come and get to know us better... you will be glad you did.
