Today at our final Forge session Stu asked us to draw an icon that depicted where we saw ourselves at in regard to the dreams and ethos of Forge.

This is mine…

Initially I drew a face with two eyes both looking in opposite directions. One is looking back the other looking forward. I believe we need to be able to look back and see the good in what we have come from (not just the bad) and look forward to be able to imagine a future that does not yet exist.

I drew the ‘smile’ afterwards because I realised that I am very happy doing this.

I think the ’emerging church’ has all too often been typified as disgruntleds pulling the finger at the church and going off to start something that is ‘true to scripture’ etc etc. My experience of this scene is not that at all.

There is an appreciation that all is not well on the good ship Christendom, but I don’t sense anger in the movement over here – more a spirit of adventure and excitement as we explore ways to reach the people the established church may never reach.