Lublin Pentecostal Church by Rev’d Paul Collings
Close fellowship and Green Shoots
John 14:12-14 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
Before the day’s event started, I took an early morning walk along the routes that we would be using later in the day and saw many worshippers making their way the various Lublin Catholic Churches. Our first engagement of the day was a free church united service at Lublin’s Oasis Pentecostal Church. However, when we arrived in this downtown area we found that we were in the middle of a building site and next to construction was what looked like and small industrial shed with a single entrance of what looked like a domestic house door
When we entered we found a room measuring no more than 25 by 50 feet where most of the chairs had been taken out and the band squeezed into one corner of the worship area, with over 200 standing for the 2 hour service and at least 80 to 100 spilling out through the door to the outside. The congregation came from a number of churches, including Lutheran, Evangelical, Methodist, Pentecostal, Baptist and Polish Catholic Churches. The latter being an independent entity from the Roman Catholic Church. The unity was evident as the Polish Catholic Priest shared that the Pentecostal congregation supplied cement to help his congregation build his church and now they were returning the favour.
Appropriately, the Colonel’s sermon concentrated upon the theme that in spite of our national differences and context we are all disciples of Jesus. At the end of the service many raised their hands in dedication.
Following the service, the pastor of the Pentecostal church invited the band to play around the foundations of the building site next to their current makeshift worship hall. You see, such was the faith of this fledgling congregation that they felt called to construct a self-build 1,000 seater church, brick by brick with the own hands. Today’s image shows my impression of that morning’s service and the 1000 seater church that now occupies the site.
We also met a family who had travelled 400 km (6 hours) from Silesia because the 19 year old son wanted to meet us having heard of an “Armia Zbawienia” and felt he was being called to ministry.
Such faith, still astounds me, whether the building of a new church against all odds, or the determination of that young man. I often wonder where he is today and how we in our context and situation would/could exercise our faith.
Prayer for Vision
Gracious God, source of light and truth, when Your Son, Jesus, encountered the blind man, Bartimaeus, he asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied, “Master, I want to see.”
We too Lord, want to see. We want to see how we can better serve You as members of your Church. We want to see more clearly how we can honour You by honouring our sisters and brothers. Guide us Lord in this Visioning Process upon which we have embarked. Help us to see more clearly the paths You call us to follow.
Give us, we pray, the spiritual gifts to faithfully answer Your call to make disciples, share the Good News and love as You loved. Help the Church in northeast Kansas, under the guidance of our Archbishop, be the Church You call us to be.
Help us may we see more clearly and may our efforts bear abundant fruit for Your glory
and for the good of Your Church. We ask all this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen
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