I got to meet up with more people from COTA today (wednesday)and this is really helping me to get more of an idea of what COTA is and how it is seeking to discover how to be church.

This morning I met up with Jana in what has become my favourite coffee shop here, and I learned a lot about how she found COTA. It was again a privilege to be able to hear someones story.  I also learned loads about how COTA is funded as she is the treasurer too. There is a desire for the community to become self sufficient, mainly from within COTA itself, but with lots of students or those just starting work most people here do not have a lot of income. I was surprised, though, to hear that between a third and half of all funding comes as regular monthly giving from the COTA community. I think that is pretty impressive and gives a solid foundation to move from.

This afternoon I sat in on the staff meeting and gained more insight into what goes on. I was able to reflect on the services that I have experienced and could share that, from my perspective as a newcomer, they were excellent. I felt very much at ease, knew what to do and was able to use the experiences to engage meaningfully with God. the ambience of the services, in particular, has been something that I think has been very helpful in allowing people to rest and worship in the grace of God. Nothing has been forced or hurried, but instead we have gently moved through the liturgy and music together, meeting with God on the way.

I’m just off to officiate at Vespers in the abbey. I like the opportunity to do this as it is a service that I really love to be part of.

So today I have experienced more of how COTA ‘ticks’. Tomorrow I have 2 or 3 more interviews and then I will start to re-listen to them and look for common insights and connections – buit before that I will need to spend some time praying and thinking on the lectionary passages for this weekend so that I can write a homily to give on Sunday night.

Monday was another really interesting day.

I explored another neighbourhood, Wallingford, a little as I needed to find a post ofice to send home the obligatory postcards. On my walk there i passed the Episcopal Bookstore so decided to have a nosey on my way back. It srprise3d me in that it had a much better stock tan my local bookshop – even a supply of stoles…. although I was able to contain myself and not buy any ;-). There was even a section with Archbishop Rowan’s books which caused a smile as I couldn’t even find one in the bookshop at home! A purchased a couple of things to bring home.

I met up with Steve Ridgway for lunch. Steve works with Open Doors and I was connected with him through Al, another Open Doors worker, who I was ordained deacon with in September 2008. Al and I kind of connected and have stayed in touch as we were both interested in each others roles following ordination – him in the middle east and me in the pubs! Steve and I had a good time talking about our roles and the settings we were in and how God had led us to where we were. Steve has not long got back from a trip to Gaza, supporting the church which is under serious persecution. We had an interesting chat together. Steve also bought lunch – so even better!

Later in the day I met up with Lacey, who is the Music Director at COTA. I have been really impressed by the quality, creativity and authenticity of the worship I have experienced. (that sounds like a line for an essay…) COTA as a whole is brilliant at involving people. It is a church where people are actively encouraged to become participators and welcomers rather than remain consumers and welcomed. There is more than that as well though. I am seeing more and more than people within COTA really believe in and have a passion for what they do here. People like Lacey are very talented and that passion for worshiping God in an accessible and real way is quite contagious for others, who then want to join in as well.

I later met up with Kristian;was another great chat which reinforced what I am hearing over and over again. COTA is a church that welcomes, is deliberate in its mission to Fremont, and is serious about involving as many people as possible.

As I reflect on the last few days I think I am seeing that COTA is not just a church of young people guided by the ‘more mature’. COTA is a church of young decision makers and, in essence, COTA develops in the way that these decision makers take it, with the guidance of Karen and others. I wonder if actually what I am seeing here is a pretty good outworking and understanding of the priesthood of all believers?