Tonight we had the first planning meeting for our new intiative to do something 'Emerging Church' -ish in a pub. 

It was a pretty amazing meeting as people actually agreed to do things!  My only official role, and even that is allegedy temporary, is publicity.  Wow!

Compass will be launched as a monthly event on the first Thursday in May at 8 p.m., hopefully in the lounge of the pub opposite the school where we meet.  If not the lounge, then the 'upper room' where we met at Christmas.

The name is significant - a compass is a device to assist navigation, not a map, nor a set of directions, but something that may assist a traveller to find their way, given suitable landmarks.  Compass is also used to describe the 'spread' or 'extent' and encompass to surround or embrace.  These seem good images of what Compass is about - and what it isn't about.  It's not Alpha/Emmuas/Y, it is 'church but not as we know it,' and it's exciting.

We will have three strands (complete with groan inducing puns)...

En-joy -  fellowship & food

En-gage - topics to engage with relating faith to life

En-counter - a kind of multi-sensory worship

The current plan is to have three months of 'Enjoy & Engage' before a month of 'Enjoy & Encounter' (can you drink beer while you're praying?  You can certainly pray while drinking beer!).

My little team of four have a big task ahead of them but I am encouraged that they are willing to give it a go.  Further, they are all commited to the long haul.

We have already planned our next two committee meetings at the pub rather the manse, so progress is being made!!