Sanga’s started a couple of weeks ago on September 4th, a day after my 40th birthday, and the 1st birthday of Vive Cafe. The prior day, at Vive Cafe, I had spoken to a few folk inviting them to join me for lunch on Friday. I had no idea of who would attend based on the mixed reactions and comments I received from many of the guests.
Only one guy turned up, and even that was because he was already there, camping in the church car-park during the week in his four-wheel drive. Bill*, is homeless, and sleeps in his car, spending most days either battling with DHS or experimenting with new ideas to make his life easier (more on this later!)
Bill and I enjoyed sandwiches made from bread left-over from Vive Cafe, and enjoyed spam and baked-beans over coffee. It was great! We talked about faith and Bill shared with me about his life growing up with the church. We ended up talking about how church is quite different to what Jesus wanted. Bill is a learned guy, and beneath that quiet facade, he thinks alot and the conversation was lively and enjoyable.
Afterwards, Bill and I went out for a “real” coffee at a local cafe. We also took a look at the old Croydon Police station that now stands abandoned. Bill knew that I was looking for, and thinking about a location for a welfare centre — showers, washing machine etc for the homeless and poor, and he feels the old Police station would be ideal. We sat outside at the cafe, and while Bill smoked, we continued our conversation about church life.
Arriving back at Revive we met up with Doug*, who has been fortunate to have a room to sleep in at Revive while trying to sort out his own issues with DHS and the system while owing two large, but friendly dogs. Bill and I continued our conversation with Doug, getting his thoughts about church and life in Christ.
That ended the first ever Sanga’s. Thanks to the team at Vive Cafe for the bread! Less folk than I planned, but my expectations of conversation about spirituality and discipleship were much less than the results. Both Doug and Bill are fantastic men with their own stories and it has been a tragic series of events and decisions that have lead them to be here with me on a Friday afternoon for Sanga’s.
Little was I to know what was about to happen the next day based on our journey and conversations.
Here’s a little commentary on the journey of Vive Cafe so far.
Vive Café has experienced significant growth since opening its doors one year ago – serving 30 meals in an evening at the beginning, to upwards of 120 now! Vive Café provides a wholesome community meal, prepared by the community for the community. Vive Café seeks to break down the ‘them’ and ‘us’ barriers – and volunteers eat and share life with guests. The idea is to provide something that many lack – family. There are many opportunity to share the gospel with those who don’t know Jesus, not through ‘Bible bashing’ – but in honest responses to questions and open invitations to church (Revive), small groups, movie nights and other activities. The ‘flow’ from Vive Café to other activities is a natural outgrowth of genuine friendship!
The next day was Revive’s usual worship day. They meet on a Saturday, one of the last remaining legacies of their Seventh Day Adventist backgrounds. The service this day was the culimination of a three week series on baptism — where Russ and Alex, two of the young guys, had lead the church in lessons about baptism. Today the bapistry was filled and the service began with the usual fantastic singing and worship. After a few songs, Russ invited anyone who was interested in being baptised to step forward.
I had stepped outside during the singing at one point to take one of my kids to the bathroom, to find Bill sitting outside having a smoke. I asked if he was ok and he said he was, although looked deep in thought. Earlier, I had found Doug sitting with a couple that Peter Roennfeldt had married recently, and who had begun to attend worship. They had been studying with Peter and I found them talking with Doug over a smoke, emphatically telling him about why he should get baptised.
So, when the call to anyone who felt they wanted to get baptised was issued, I knew that this couple would go forward, as well as one of the women who had been attending from her involvement with Vive Cafe. I was not to be disappointed! It was an awesome afternoon — with thirteen baptisms including Bill and Doug, the woman from Vive cafe, one young guy with Cerebral Palsy who had also come from his attendance in Vive Cafe and the Dining Room, as well as several young people who had been travelling with Revive for some time, including one, who had come from her mother’s involvement in The Dining Room!
Here are a few pics that were taken of the baptisms. It was a fantastic afternoon and praise the Lord! for the thirteen folk who decided to follow Jesus and become his disciples!
Click the images to see the original files.
Peter went on to write at New Church Life;
Thirteen friends were baptized into Jesus Christ at the Revive plant on the weekend. Here is a sample of some email exchanges this week –
• Amanda: ‘It definitely was the best day at Revive ever. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. Just wanted to say I’m really thankful to have been a part of such an amazing day. Can’t wait for all the incredible times to come.’
• Gary: ‘What a fantastic day. Thanks so much to all of you who were involved. I felt just so lucky to be involved and be there up the front experiencing what was happening. For me it was an experience you couldn’t pay for. I can’t imagine it ever getting better than that; and yet you know — why shouldn’t it? The reality is that I am sure God has many more of these amazing experiences in store for us if we let Him lead us.’
• Julie: ‘It was THE BEST DAY at Revive church so far and yet we have had some great day’s prior!’
Whew! The following Friday was Sanga’s again and I had no idea of what to expect on Thursday when I was inviting folk to attend. Friday lunch was held after I attended a forum on whether the Church should do Social Justice or Evangelism! So, while I loved listening to the speakers, I could vouch that indeed social justice leads to evangelism from personal experience!
This Friday, Bill was there again, and we had Mike*, the young guy with Cerebral Palsy join us. After making our toasted sandwiches (thanks John!) we sat around a table and the conversation soon drifted back to last Saturday and what that meant. Bill had been raised in the Anglican tradition and we ended up talking about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in today’s world.
We ended and as we washed the dishes, we all agreed that church should be about the people and the Gospel was indeed good news that cold be shared more easily than we had been taught growing up.
After I dropped Mike in Croydon afterwards, I thanked the Lord for the amazing journey he has me on. Sure I am broke, but this has given me the opportunity to spend more time and invest in the lives of these men and women from the community meals! That got me thinking — but more on that for another day!
*Names have all been changed. I will seek permission to add their real names in at a later date.
