St Lawrence's Church, Evesham

St Lawrence's Church, Evesham, has been sitting in the shadow of its neighbour, All Saints’, for hundreds of years. For some time, it was a competitor, then it became part of its neighbour’s parish, the good folk of Evesham unable or unwilling to maintain two churches on the same site. It no longer functions as a place of worship and has no community of believers attached to it, regardless of whether they be wheat or tares. It might ‘look’ like a church with its steeple and gothic arches, but it really is just a pretty building, an ecclesiastical ornament.

Religious gatherings in Great Britain are often rather similar. Unlike St Lawrence's, they might have actual people who attend, they might sing songs and even read from bits of the Bible. Their true purpose, however, is not the true worship of the triune God, nor the proclamation of His gospel, neither the exposition of His word. It is a social time, a community get-together, a support group for the spiritually minded. The word ‘church’ might be painted onto a sign without, but the Living God receives as much glory and honour from the empty flags of St Lawrence's as the busy chapels and noisy assemblies of the tares and rainless clouds.

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Isaiah 1:13

A  D