AN old minute book of the church says ‘April 28th, 1892 was a red letter day in the history of Crediton Methodism, the beautiful new chapel was opened for public worship and dedicated to the service of God. The weather was everything that could be desired.’

The weather on April 26 this year was also good when we celebrated our 134th Anniversary. The service was led by Rev Kevin Hooke – our minister some 20 years ago.

The reading from 1 Kings spoke about how Soloman dedicated the temple. He did not boast about building a magnificent temple but was humble and said he could not contain God, but it was a place for gathering and worship and reminded him of the presence of God in the community.

Kevin asked where people had moved from – some from Surrey, Kent, Gloucester, Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Some people lived very close to the church, others in outlying villages.

Two members of the congregation had been worshiping at this church for over 70 years. We are all part of the life of the church.

We celebrate all people from different places who have been here differing lengths of time. We live Christ lives in differing ways and are here because Christ loves us and has touched our lives.

We belong together as His people as a community of the church.

The passage from Ephesians about house-building is full of architectural imagery. When it was written there were no church buildings as people met in one another’s homes and it was talking about the church as a community of people.

It refers to this community built on a foundation of apostles and prophets. Apostles were the more recent past – those who had brought the stories of Jesus.

Prophets were a reminder of the Old Testament tradition stretching back centuries. People who remember, but also part of God’s activity through all of time.

As part of the young church in Ephesus, they may be new, but part of something bigger and older.

Kevin first came to Crediton in 1999 and said it was lovely to see familiar faces, meet new ones and remember people no longer with us. It is time to give thanks for those who have gone before us and built on firm foundations.

The passage also refers to Christ as the chief cornerstone – in Him the whole building is joined together.

One of the great challenges of the early church was to hold together very different people.

There were those who were Jews by background who had an appreciation of Torah/prophets and a distinctive sense of being God’s people, sometimes keeping themselves separate, people of commandments and Old Testament law.

Then there were those of a Gentile background, with differing moral codes, living in a world of many Greek and Roman gods – all possibility of misunderstanding tension.

This image of Christ as a cornerstone – the key piece to secure the building, holding together the life of the church was really significant.

The passage also speaks of the identity of the church – we are in Christ and it speaks of the community of Christ and the purpose of the church.

Some of us come today with tasks – to lead, steward, to project, to play, make coffee and lunch. Sometimes the jobs we hold take over, but we are here because of Christ – because of the love that we have found but more importantly has found us.

‘And you too are being built together to be a dwelling in which God lives by His spirit’.

Yes, even us – irrespective of what is happening in the rest of God’s church, we here are being built. Whether our own church life feels strong or vulnerable, we too are being built into a place where God lives by His Spirit.

Note the passive mood – not you are building, but you are being built – the agency is God’s.

We need today to celebrate the life of this church – the activity what it does to communicate the love of God in the community, the way it participates in Christ’s kingdom’s work in the town, a practical expression of faith, all so important.

In the midst of what we do, the image reminds us of who we are, that we need to be open to the work of God within us and amongst us and open to the Spirit’s presence and direction.

Kevin referred to an old hymn ‘Lord bless this church, in us create a people by your love made new. That we who here acclaim you Lord, may then declare your name abroad.’

We are built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, we have Christ as our cornerstone and we are being built into God’s love to be His

We shared a delicious lunch and sang Happy Birthday to the church and also to one of our younger members of the congregation whose birthday is the following day.

Bronwyn Nott