Published: Thursday, 4th June, 2009 10:00am

Teaching the Gospel according to Chron

by Rose Harland

A CHURCH congregation is hearing the word of the Lord...according to The Chronicle.

The pastor of Reading Family Church is basing his Sunday sermons every week on a story from our pages.

Pastor Sean Green, 41, said: 'Reading the paper and having the sermons is a good way to see what is going on and think, 'How can I play my part?". It is about trying to encourage people to get involved.

'We are living in a vibrant town and the church historically has always been involved in the town and society. But increasingly we are all caught up in our own lives, isolated and not getting to grips with the issues going on around us.

'There is loads going on in the town and Christians need to be engaged with it.'

Pastor Green started the six week Chronicles of Reading series on May 17 with a story previewing Reading Community Carnival.

He said: 'I think lots of people went to the carnival as a result.

'I do honestly think that the church should be trying to shape Reading"s culture, just like the Afro-Caribbean community has shaped our culture by putting on the carnival each year.' On Sunday, Pastor Green looked at a court report from last week"s Chronicle about a man sentenced to a driving ban, community service and a suspended sentence for killing a pensioner when the heavy rear door of his lorry swung open.

Pastor Green, who lives in Earley with wife Liz and children Joshua, 10, Lucy, eight and Zoë, five, said: 'It is a short story but a huge amount is in there.

'We must think about trying to balance justice but also mercy. How do we hold those together?' Around 200 people meet for the sessions at Reading Girls" School in Northumberland Avenue, Whitley, at 10am on Sundays.

It is part of the New Frontiers church family and began in 2001 as an offshoot from Kerith Community Church in Bracknell.

Pastor Green, previously a marketing manager for Bracknell-based Dell, said: 'The Chronicle is a good summary of what"s going on and we support that.'

www.readingfamilychurch.org.uk

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