CAPTION: Cinema buff, Jeremy Putnam, says the Come and See Mission Weekend in November will be like the trailer for a great movie
Come and See Weekend of Mission is the “trailer for the full feature”
Come and See ’23 is Devon’s weekend of mission from 10 to 12 November, centred around the invitation to Come and See.
Maybe your mission community would like to join in?
Rev’d Jeremy Putnam, Diocese of Exeter Mission Enabler shares his thoughts about the Come and See weekend:
There’s so much choice available to us these days when it comes to films; what with streaming services and movies on demand. Some say that all these choices have meant that fewer people are visiting the cinema.
But to be honest I love going to the cinema. It’s the event right? The comfy seats, the big sound, the big picture, the big bucket of popcorn. I love it. I even love watching the trailers before the film starts.
The best trailers don’t give the whole story, just a snapshot, just enough to say ‘come and see’ the full feature.
Near the beginning of John’s gospel, the disciple Philip invites Nathanael to come and see the one that Moses and the prophets wrote about. Philip’s curiosity became Nathaniel’s curiosity too. And so, they both went together.
In John 11, Jesus is invited to ‘Come and See’ the tomb of the dead man Lazarus, the imagination of a whole community compels them to invite Jesus in the hope that he might do something extraordinary. And as we know. He did.
On the third day after Jesus had died, when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb an angel of the lord said to her, “Come and see the place where they laid him.” Afraid, but with a heart filled with joy, she ran to tell the other disciples what she had seen.
This November the Archbishop of Canterbury will be visiting Devon to join us for a weekend of mission. Archbishop Justin will be taking part in several themed events across Devon, telling the people he meets about Jesus and why rural life, children and young people, bereavement and loss, and creation care really matter to Christians. And most of all he’ll be saying to those he meets ‘come and see’ what God is doing, in and through our mission communities.
It’s a weekend of mission, centred around the invitation to Come and See.
Maybe your mission community would like to join in? You might like to host a ‘Come and Remember’ event for remembrance, or a ‘Come and Craft’ event with messy church, or maybe a ‘Come and Sing’ songs of praise event, or a ‘Come and See’ open church event. There are loads of ways to get involved.
The whole diocese is right behind you. You’ll find details at the end of this video about funding for your event, and how the Archbishop’s College of Evangelists can help with planning and delivery. You’ll also find some bible resources for reflection and small groups, and details of our 24/7 prayer event.
The trailer is going to be great, but the full feature will be even better. ‘Come and see’.
Click here to find out more about Come and See ’23 and register your church event.
Rev’d Jeremy Putnam
