[This reflection by Helen Ruffhead was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 15/Sep/2024]
Recently I was on holiday in Wales with my sister Jean and son David. Jean was keen to attend a local service, so we looked up the parish church online. All the reviews described it as a beautiful church, with particular reference to the stained-glass windows.
I must confess I am not a fan of church architecture. On visiting Israel many years ago, nearly all the holy places were spoiled for me by the erection of an elaborate church building. The one exception was the Garden Tomb, which was untouched. Walking around that beautiful and peaceful garden, hearing people praising God in many different languages, felt like a taste of heaven.
The town of Tenby where we stayed last week has an old wall which we walked round and this reminded me of a song I haven’t sung since university days: “Come walk with me round the walls of the city”. The second verse says:
“You are the stones which His love is now shaping
Lives being made into praise for our God
See the pure stone that the builders rejected
Now the foundation, the glory of God
Come dance with me, we’re the stones of that city
Giving the glory to Jesus our King”
1 Peter 2 v 4,5 says: “As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
I believe what makes a church beautiful in God’s eyes is not the building, but the love shown by the people who meet there, for each other and for those around them. As Jesus said in John 13 v 35: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
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Last week’s reflection: Stepping Forward: Making Space by Martin Shorey
Contributed by Helen Ruffhead; © Helen Ruffhead