All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the centre of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence

- Ephesians 1:20-23 (Peterson, The Message)

A few years back, Yuval Harari wrote in the New Statesman that religion was on its way out; technology would take its place. "God is dead," he said, "it just takes a while to get rid of the body." An interesting turn of phrase - the New Testament's own image for the church is exactly that: a body. Christ's body.

Which raises an awkward question. We're fairly comfortable believing in God. We're less comfortable believing in the church - this strange, collective thing we're asked to become part of, not just admire from a distance. Ephesians puts it starkly: the church isn't peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. Christ fills it, speaks through it, acts by it.

First, though, a language problem. Google "church" and you'll get gothic spires and stained glass. But the New Testament word - ekklesia - never means a building. It means a people, an assembly, a gang. It's us.

So what did that ekklesia do? Acts 2 gives us the answer:

• They met - daily, with one heart - they wanted to be where God was.
• They devoted themselves to Jesus's teaching - ordinary people, no PhDs, just giving themselves to his words.
• They shared their lives - koinonia, real and costly sharing of like, not the ideal we secretly want. As Bonhoeffer warned, love the dream of community too much and you'll destroy the real thing.
• They broke bread - they were gathered around the meal that spoke of Jesus's love and his death and resurrection, not around any identity of class, race, or social status.

None of this is a pitch for any particular congregation or community - just look for one that tries to do the things above. But the Bible is clear: you can't claim to love God and shrug off his people. Love him, you'll love his body. Love his body, you'll want to be part of it.

Gathering, learning, sharing life, breaking bread together. That's why we tell people who get baptised that there's a thing they must do: go to church.

In the long story of the Christian faith, there are lots of different ideas about how people are baptised. Is a little sprinkle of water enough? Or do you need the full dunking?

A lot of that misses the point. Baptism is a physical sign of the work of God in our lives.

Passing through the water echoes Israel's crossing of the Red Sea and Jordan. They move from spiritual wilderness into the promised land, marking rescue from the "dominion of darkness" into God's kingdom (Colossians 1:13).

Water passing over us is a picture of cleansing. Aaron and his sons were washed before they were made priests — baptism consecrates believers as a priesthood that communicates God to the world.

Going down into the water signifies dying and rising with Christ (Romans 6:3-4). His death and resurrection become ours.

John calls for those who are being baptised to repent(metanoia — turning from self-pleasing to God-pleasing life), confess (bringing brokenness into the light, ideally with trusted others), and produce fruit — a life that matches profession. But we need to get the order right! Ephesians 2:8-10 reminds us that salvation is by grace, not by works. Yet we are saved for good works — works that will wonderfully occupy all our lives.

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”
- Matthew 6:5-15

We were created for connection—not just with our favourite people, but with our Creator. Over the last few weeks, we’ve been exploring the Lord’s Prayer and what it means to accept God’s daily invitation to connect with Him.

Jesus teaches us that prayer isn’t a performance or a list of fancy words. It’s a living relationship. Like exercise, building a prayer habit can feel tough, but it is vital for our spiritual health. Through the Lord's Prayer, God invites us to step out of the driver's seat, trust His daily provision, receive His deep forgiveness, and rest in His protection.

How can we practically build this habit?
Habit Stacking: Attach a moment of prayer to an existing routine, like brushing your teeth or boiling the kettle.
Tangible Prompts: Carry a small holding cross in your pocket or set a daily phone reminder.
Keep it Simple: Don't perform. If you are struggling, simply tell Him: "God, I find this really hard."
Whether you are exploring silent contemplation or just starting out, remember: the goal is connection, not perfection. Let’s journey together to become a community drenched in prayer!