Life's Purpose
People everywhere are searching frantically for the meaning of life. We search for meaning in our own lives. but the great
thing is that we don't need to go on searching: God has given us purpose. Our primary purpose is God. In words written
hundreds of years ago, "Humanity's main purpose is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." How does this work out? The two words
that best describe the Christian life are “love affair.” God wants you to know him and love him. Everything
else is secondary to that. He wants you to know him, and he wants you to love him. He wants you to be in a relationship with him.
There is a word for expressing love to God: WORSHIP. It has two aspects: worship is expressing your love to God,
and worship is living a life pleasing to God. There is a big myth today in many Christian circles. It says that worship is a
synonym for music, that worship and music are the same thing. We hear things like, “Well, I liked the sermon, but I really enjoyed
the worship.” As if the sermon wasn’t worship. Worship is more than music. Worship is everything you do that brings pleasure
to God. Your whole life is to be a life of worship. That's your purpose!
So why go to church?
Going to church is about worshipping God as a community, as a family. It's about magnifying and exalting God together. It's about
God's children coming before him together. You cannot be a family on your own, and you cannot be a part of God's family if you don't
go to church. One ancient writer said, "You cannot have God for your Father if you do not have the Church as your mother." Whilst
churches (denominations and/or local communities) do reject God, it is critical for any true Christian not to abandon the Church of
Christ: a true Christian will seek out a faithful congregation.
[NB: 'Faithful' does not mean 'perfect': there can be no such thing as a perfect church on earth!]
Do you go to Church?
Yes. That’s great, and we encourage you to continue doing so, and pray that you will grow closer to God
through it.
No. You are welcome to come to St John’s and worship God with us. Quite a number of people who have never
been to church before are doing so, and you would be welcome too.
Worship Service
At St John's, we have one main Service of Worship, on Sundays at 10.00 am. Having trialed two different services with two
very different styles, it was decided to have just the one regular service on Sunday mornings. Whilst this is a Communion
Service (based on Common Worship), it is also varied in presentation, reflecting aspects from the two different styles. Usually,
we use a printed Order of Service and hymn book, but sometimes we have the whole order (or parts of it) projected on to a screen:
this tends to depend on the hymns we are singing, and whether they are in the printed book. Those attending are encouraged to
bring a Bible with them.
