St Mark's, Newtownards ArkAlive

One of the aims of beginning an informal service such as ArkAlive was to encourage families to come together to worship God but the arrival of 2012 brought with it a new opportunity...to see families together around the Bible! Something not just for the kids…nor indeed solely for the grown ups...but an opportunity to make the Bible more accessible and relevant to all ages. Although our E100 journey through the Bible is at an early stage, when I hear stories from parents about how the families together are engaging with God’s Word I am reminded of God’s commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all our strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you get home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6: 5-7.

May I encourage everyone who is joining us on the journey through the Bible to stick with it! There may be weeks when the time constraints of life catch up and we struggle to find the time, but as soon as reading the bible becomes central to our daily routine, then it no longer becomes a chore. It simply becomes a way of life. You don’t need to have kids to join this journey, nor do you have to attend ArkAlive every Sunday! Interested in finding out more? Speak to me or have a word with the Rector.

At ArkAlive, we have established an All-Age structure for our worship in an attempt to meet the needs of every participant whether they have children with them or not. Our structure is: Welcome, Way In, Word, Witness and Way Home. Yes, sometimes prams do clutter the aisle; yes, sometimes toddlers run around; and yes, the kids are sometimes noisy; but everything we do is to glorify God whether it’s noisy or quiet. Just before we delve into the Bible at ArkAlive, the toddlers come up front to join the musicians with their shakers before they go off with one of the Ark Leaders to the Chapel for a creative session related to the day’s Bible story.

Also with the arrival of 2012 saw the introduction of the service being led by the ArkAlive Team with Ark Leaders sharing in many parts of the worship. I am truly indebted to have such a supportive team around me as we grow and develop our family ministry in this parish. Please pray for this team as they prepare and plan to engage with new families as they are invited to join our church family at St Mark's.

If you have never been to ArkAlive (or it sounds too mental) try it! If you have been before and found it all over the place, try it again! I fully agree that ArkAlive is far from perfect...it’s messy at times...it can be hectic...but so is family life!

We have tried to make ArkAlive a place not just for kids, but a place where kids feel welcomed and accepted for who and what they are. But we also want to make ArkAlive a place for adults who don’t have children and find the informal approach to church helpful in their own faith.

Let’s keep praying together for people of all ages to find God in a place that keeps his commandments alive not just on Sundays but 24/7.

Stephen

ArkAlive Informal Worship

ArkAlive @ St Mark's