As I looked at the tiling in the kitchen, I was reminded once again of how much I love tessellated shapes (where one or more geometric shapes, called tiles, are fitted together with no overlaps and no gap.)

I love hexagons because they fit together so well:

Lots of tiles actually use tessellated patterns on them to make them look prettier:

I suppose I like tessellation because I like order and symmetry; I like things to fit together neatly and without mess. And I’d very much like this process to extend to life as well: neat, tidy, ordered, no mess, no leftover bits!

Sadly, I haven’t found life to be always like that. Nor is the church like that, for the church is made up of people of differing ages, temperaments and giftings. The church is made up of people who ‘like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.’ (1 Pet 2:5 TNIV). If you look at old church buildings, the stones are individual and are not all the same shape or size, yet they are fitted together to make an amazing edifice that has often stood the test of time.

Some tessellated shapes are much more complicated than squares, diamonds or hexagons. I always think of the church a little like this image, more like a jigsaw puzzle of shapes that don’t apparently fit together at all!

Proverbs 27:17 TNIV says ‘As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.’ We refine each other, knocking off corners and edges so that we fit together. This process is not painless. Sometimes we don’t like the people God has placed us with, but just as we cannot choose the members of our natural families, so we cannot choose our brothers and sisters in Christ! God chooses us (John 15:16 TNIV) and builds us together like living stones. One day we will all fit together perfectly, as perfectly as any tessellated shape. Bear that in mind during the day’s sharpenings!

After the fitting of the units came the tiling:

Throughout September, we are praying for economic regeneration in our area and we are grateful that God has supplied the funds for us to be able to employ local businesses in the refurbishment work that is being done in the building. Our thanks go to those who have helped in any way with the kitchen work!

There is a lot of precision work involved in fitting a kitchen!

Can you see the join?

All of this work goes to make the finished product:

In the same way that we marvel at the precision and skill of a craftsman who is skilled in his work, we need to understand that each one of us is God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which He has prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10 TNIV). God is the master craftsman who is working with great precision on our lives. Nothing that happens to us is by accident; nothing is wasted. In His omniscience, love and compassion, He works all things together for good (Rom 8:28 TNIV) so that the ‘finished product’ – which we do not yet see (1 John 3:1-2 TNIV) – may be complete and perfect, not lacking anything (James 1:3-5 TNIV).

The kitchen was re-plastered and the work has continued for the past two weeks.

The work doesn’t always look to be progressing!

Then new things appear:

Working on the sinks:

It’s starting to look more finished:

The Big Church Day Out in Sussex took place in May, a time of worship and teaching. The sessions can now be viewed on GodTV, so if you are just back from the One Event in Lincoln and need a reminder of what it’s like to worship with thousands or you just want to be able to join in with worship, click on the links below and sing along!

General link to interviews and performances:
Big Church Day Out 2013

Matt Redman live at the Big Church Day Out
Matt Redman
You might be interested to know that Matt’s new live album ‘Your Grace Finds Me‘ is released on September 24th. He talks about the new album here. I personally can’t wait!
Interview about ‘Your Grace Finds Me’

Phil Wickham live at the Big Church Day Out
Phil Wickham
You might also like to know that Phil Wickham’s new album ‘The Ascension’ is also due for release on September 24th. Two great albums, one date to remember! Some of the new songs feature in the video; I particularly liked the song ‘When My Heart Is Torn’, which speaks of the transitory nature of our suffering in comparison to the glory to come.

Brenton Brown live at the Big Church Day Out
Brenton Brown

Rend Collective Experiment at the Big Church Day Out
Rend Collective Experiment
“In the kingdom of God, it’s not about uniformity but unity… We don’t follow a God who makes churches and people like Starbucks make coffees…There are so many different backgrounds, so many different ideas…”

Hillsong at the Big Church Day Out
Hillsong

The topic for prayer for September is regeneration.

Regeneration:
* a process of re-birth
* spiritual, moral and economic reform
* to be given new life or energy
* revitalisation

Let’s pray for urban, economic and spiritual regeneration. Pray that God will:
• cause businesses to grow and thrive in Goldthorpe
• help jobs to be created in the area
• cause plans for the new primary school to go ahead
• cause the people in Barnsley M.B.C. to spend the monies available on projects to help and encourage young people
• cause new houses to be built in this area
• bring Christian people into the area so that they can be involved in spiritual revival
• empower us for His service
• bring new life to people in this area

“We believe, that the work of regeneration, conversion, sanctification and faith, is not an act of man’s free will and power, but of the mighty, efficacious and irresistible grace of God.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)

“Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.” (Isaiah 58:12 TNIV)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 TNIV)