by the Revd. Mike Coe: All Saints, Ilkley

WE are back at All Saints! After seven months of intensive and extensive work, the redevelopment of our buildings has been completed. Our first Sunday services were held on May 26th, and we had a special Thanksgiving Service on June 23rd, with Bishop Toby. It was great to see so many All Saints people, Christian friends and members of the wider community joining with us on what was a great day of celebration!

If you haven’t come and had a look around already, the doors are open for visitors most days. You will hopefully learn something new about the history and heritage of All Saints.

However, if you look back at what I have just written, there’s one word missing which you might have expected me to use a lot - ‘church’!

That’s because although the redeveloped buildings look great and will be a fantastic resource for our future mission and ministry, they are not the church! Slightly confused? A brief bit of Biblical language study will help

• The English word ‘church’ comes from the Greek word ‘kuriakon’ which means ‘belonging to the Lord.

• The Greek word translated ‘church’ in the New Testament is ‘ekklesia’, which means ‘called out from’ or ‘gathered to’.

So, when you combine those two meanings you get a Biblical definition of church. It’s not buildings, activities, denominations or Synods. Church is found where a group of people whom God has called, who belong to Jesus and want to know and love Him more, are gathered together

When a group of Christians meet together, they are the church in that place, whether it’s an ancient building, a school, a tent, a house or even in the open air! Ultimately church isn’t something you do, or somewhere you go, or something you feel, it is something you are in Christ alongside other committed Christians.

So, we look forward to welcoming you to our special and redeveloped buildings in the near future. However, to really meet All Saints Church, come and join us on a Sunday as we gather together to worship God.*

(*other local churches are also available!)