Beauty For Brokenness

A few weeks ago you'd have found me out in the garden wearing Bob's helmet and visor [part of his lathe safety kit] and some heavy duty gloves - wielding a large hammer. I was smashing up some terracotta pots, and tiles and plates.

We took all these fragments to church on Pentecost Sunday. Bob made two 'flames' using scrap wood which our neighbour was happy to donate from his skip.
During the service I was by the table at the back, and people came and fixed bits of broken tile and pot with the adhesive.
I was really encouraged that so many people came and did some sticking - and really moved to watch folk helping the less mobile, or guiding the hands of those who could not see clearly, or lifting up the smaller children so they could put their fragments in place. It was a truly collaborative effort. At the end of the service, we carried these 'flames' to the front, and Bob talked about the Holy Spirit takes broken people, and joins them together to make something beautiful. Every piece has a part to play in building God's Church - and flames are one of the traditional symbols of the Spirit. The flames came home with us - and we spent quite a while tidying up the grouting and ensuring every piece was firmly affixed. Last Sunday the two finished flames were on display - and people said how moving it was to see them there.

God is at work in us His purpose to perform
Building a kingdom of power and not of words
Where things impossible by faith shall be made possible
Let’s give the glory to Him now.

Though we are weak His grace is everything we need
We’re made of clay but His treasure is within
He turns our weaknesses into His opportunities
So that the glory goes to Him.

Rejoice, Rejoice, Christ is in you
The hope of glory in your heart
He lives, He lives, His breath is in you
Arise a mighty army -we arise.