FCL 8 REFLECTION PAPER

I feel blessed to be a part of the 22nd grand reunion of Renewed SOLCC; Church on the move. The serene place in Lakeshore, Pampanga is a perfect place to praise the Lord. The topic that the speakers have been discussing was all about Church on the move. -What is a church? Now that seems like a easy question, the sort of question one might answer in an simple sentence or two. A church is a building in which Christians meet for worship, is one obvious possibility. A church is a group of Christians who gather for religious purposes is another. A critic might says, A church is a club for insiders and hypocrites. These quick answers dont take us very far if we want to understand truly what a church ought to be. -- The church is a gift of God to the world for its transformation towards the kingdom of God. Its mission is to bring new life and announce the loving presence of God in our world. We must participate in Gods mission in unity, overcoming the divisions and tensions that exist among us, so that the world may believe and all may be one (John 17:21). The church, as the communion of Christs disciples, must become an inclusive community and exists to bring healing and reconciliation to the world. All Christians, churches and congregations are called to be vibrant messengers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the good news of salvation. Evangelism is a confident but humble sharing of our faith and conviction with other people. Such sharing is a gift to others which announces the love, grace and mercy of God in Christ. It is the inevitable fruit of genuine faith. Therefore, in each generation, the church must renew its commitment to evangelism as an essential part of the way we convey Gods love to the world.