Grace and Peace everyone.
Years ago – back in 2018 in a Sunday service – as an illustration I used examples of buildings that had been moved physically from one place to another. I included Marble Arch, London Bridge, the Cavern nightclub, and the Belle Tout Lighthouse to illustrate a wider point about how we move and change. (That was before we’d even set a spade in the ground on Upperton Road.)
Imagine my delight, therefore, when I read recently about a Swedish church that was physically having to move in August. It’s this one (see below), the Kiruna Church, remarkably all 672.4 tonnes of it having to move 5km on enormous steel beams on wheeled trailers. Notwithstanding the small shame that this premises hadn’t moved in 2018 – otherwise it would have made a very fitting inclusion to my service back then – it’s still a rather wonderful image.
How wonderful that this has happened. Partly the sheer marvel at the expertise of the engineers and planners who have made it happen. Partly the joy that people see this impressive building as worthy of keeping even at enormous hassle (and presumably cost.) When it was finally hoiked (my scientific term) onto the wheeled structure, it took two days for the church to move to its new location on the other side of the town. At a maximum speed of 500 metres per hour, and often doing far less than that, I guess it was going to take a while.
Perhaps this is how the illustration evolves. Sometimes as church we hold fast to honoured traditions and it’s right we do. If we do it well, we can anchor our community in Christian values, ethics and perspectives that are deeply rooted in the life and compassion of Jesus Christ. Sometimes, though, we might feel its right to gently let some traditions go.
Churches that become stuck or ignore the times they’re in, the communities around them and what’s important in people’s lives today are unlikely to be relevant to the community they’re in for long. As churches how fast we move is quite important though – changes can be healthy but the right speed is vital.
Lots of changes are evident as we enter September 2025. We’re looking at doing more for our children and families, especially on Sunday mornings. We’re blessed with a new Community Engagement Manager – Michael – whose new role will take time to develop fully as we work out where we need him to be. We’ve got the Silver Eco-Church Award to work towards, and Jenny Wren will be full of new preschoolers, with new parents and carers to get to know. We might find ourselves with new people in new roles at church who guide the church forward in new ways too. Much of the coming year will be very familiar, as we follow traditions and aspects of church comfortable and known. How wonderful, too, that we’ll be moving forward sometimes slowly, sometimes more quickly.
In Paul’s sermon on the Areopagus in Acts 17, he says ‘or “In him we live and move and have our being”. Just a few words which somehow root us in Jesus Christ our Lord, our model for life and loving, and also which prompt us to keep moving ahead.
Rev. Paul Tabraham
Excerpt taken from Emmanuel Magazine September 2025. The magazine, published ten times annually, features articles contributed or authored by our members. It includes a delightful blend of testimonials, devotions, book reviews, prayers, jokes, upcoming events, and more. Grab your copy of the latest magazine at the church foyer. If you prefer to receive a copy by mail or email, feel free to reach out to us.