CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS - Part 1 - INTRODUCTION:WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

Sep 28, 2026

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Church Without Walls is a congregational resource connecting Christian mission to contemporary change through worship, learning, and community preparation. It explains the background of the Church Without Walls Report, describes a 2005 celebration using the 4th birthday as a local, regional, and national witness, and provides guidance for preparation groups. The introduction outlines the Church’s need to adapt while keeping its core calling steady, and it points readers to study and service planning for different ages.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time1 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

INTRODUCTION:WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

Background to the Church Without Walls

PREPARATION

Your part in celebrating the Church Without Walls

In advance

CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS 2005FoLLOW ME CHRIST theSERVANT KING First published in 2004 by Scottish Christian Press Board of Parish Education, 21 Young Street Edinburgh EH24HU Copyright text Scottish Christian Press The material in this book is intended for use by ministers and groups to exploreand celebrate the Church Without Walls.You are therefore permitted to reproduce and copy the text in whatever manner seems appropriate for use in aservice or study group setting. Rev Susan M Brown has asserted her right under the Copyright,Designs andPatents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. The St Andrew's Media Project Bo'ness retains copyright of the DVD.Shouldyou wish to use the film content in any way other than in the type of serviceoutlined,please contact Rev Albert Bogle at St Andrew's Bo'ness,www.standonline.org.uk ISBN 1904325270 Cover design and layout by Heather Macpherson Printed by Datacolor Imaging UK CONTENTS what's it all about? Introduction- 1 Preparation -your part in celebrating the2Church Without Walls Setting the Scene -questions,exercises and reflections5for study groups The Service-readings10call to worship10children's and young people's talk11sermon11 Exploring the Lectionary Readings 13 16 Act of Rededication 18 Music Suggestions Further Resources 19 Acknowledgements 21 # INTRODUCTION:WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? Background to the Church Without Walls The Church as a body is a living organism,constantly adapting to the changingenvironments in which it finds itself.While its heart (its core calling andmission)always remains the same,the ability to be flexible is what helps theChurch speak to so many people of all ages,in all sorts of different times andcircumstances. The Church of Scotland is called,as are all branches of the Christian Church,to rise to the challenge of reaching the people of the 21st century.To that end aSpecial Commission(the Special Commission anent Review and Reform)wasset up with the task of drafting a Report to the General Assembly which mightbegin a new chapter in the life of the Church. That Commission reported to the General Assembly of 2001. Since then the Report(commonly known as the Church Without WallsReport)has sparked the imagination of many parts of the Church and inspiredindividuals,congregations,presbyteries and the Church as a whole to explorenew ways of going about Christ's work in the world of which we are a part. To help you explore these ideas in greater depth a brief catalogue of writtenresources under the Church Without Walls logo is appended at the end of thisbooklet. Rev Susan M Brown # PREPARATION Your part in celebrating the Church Without Walls Some congregations will be very familiar with the Church Without Walls Reportand others less so. Whether your congregation has already begun on the journey of exploration ofwhat it means to be a church without walls,or whether you're not quite sure ofwhat it's allabout,the General Assembly has called for congregations to usethe milestone of the 4th birthday of the Report in 2005 to celebrate and bearwitness to the faith we live,and to do that locally,regionally,and nationally. Since the Report calls for the Church to be grown and nurtured from the bottomup,it is important that the celebrations begin at local level.To that end thefollowing material is offered as a resource to help congregations(over thelength and breadth of the country and beyond)begin to shape how they mightstart offering thanks for the past achievements of their Christian faith -and tohelp them look to what that faith might ask of them,both at the present timeand in the future. There are no two congregations the same in the Church of Scotland.Thereforeyou are invited to use what follows in the ways that best fit your local situation.Some of the material may be useful as it is -or perhaps it may act as aspringboard to help you think of other things -but it's equally

FAQs

What is the Church Without Walls celebration intended to achieve?

It is offered as thanks to God for the worship and witness of the whole Christian community, encouraging local participation and ongoing faith, work, witness, and worship.

Why does the resource emphasize adaptability in the Church?

It explains that the Church is a living organism that constantly adapts to changing environments, while its core calling and mission remain the same.

When is the special service described in the preparation section?

The material suggests preparing for a special service to take place on Sunday 21st November 2004, identified as the Feast of Christ the King.

Sep 28, 2026

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