The vision for the Sannox Christian Centre (SCC) hasbeen developing over at least 20 years. God has been speaking to different people and groups around Scotland calling them to establish a house of prayer at Sannox. For example, a group of Christians from Arran have been praying on the site for the last 20 years and another individual in Edinburgh has carried the same vision for at least 20 years. Now we are seeing it mature and emerge. The common aspect of the vision God has planted in people is to establish a house of prayer for all peoples (Isaiah 56:7). It is to be a place of rest and restoration where God can meet with His people, those within His church and those without. It is to be a place open to all people with Christ at its centre. It is a place where people can enter leaving everything outside the gates; denominations, doctrines, condemnation and self importance and walk with their Father God finding His rest, forgiveness and reconciliation.
The vision of the SCC reflects the ethos of the Celtic Mission – Christ at the centre but open to all. It is founded on the three areas of Celtic Christianity – devotion to God, hospitality and service to the community and mission to the world. (This can be understood as the way of the cave, the refectory table and the road).
CAVE
The cave is our personal journey with God rooted in worship and prayer, it is the bedrock of all we do and the foundation stone of SCC. It revolves around a rhythm of prayer and worship – daily, weekly and seasonally. SCC will provide a safe space for individuals to walk and talk with God. It will do this through providing a place where people can re-orientate their lives, slow down to listen to God, to commune with God in His creation within and without the SCC and allow God to do his work of blessing, healing and restoration.
REFECTORY
The refectory table is the outpouring of what God has
poured in through direct service in the local community and in the work of our guests who return to their own communities. This expresses itself in hospitality, the weekly prayers of blessing for the community and its issues, the plans for affordable housing and the provision of community transport. Other things will follow as the need arises in consultation with the community. It is envisaged SCC will develop as a community resource responding, wherever possible, to needs as they are identified by the Isle of Arran communities. The facilities of the centre will be made available, whenever possible, to the community subject to the needs of the SCC. SCC will seek to be part of the community, not a closed commune, but a centre open to all, faithfully praying blessings on people and communities as they seek change for good.
ROAD
The road is our outreach in the name of Christ to the wider world. It encourages us to live out our Christian lives in whatever sphere of influence God has placed us, to be shaped by our contact with friend, family, neighbour and stranger. Through the experience of individuals and groups and the courses SCC will offer, we will seek to encourage and equip people, for their service in local churches and in their daily lives, as they journey with God. The SCC is a neutral, safe place where people of all Christian denominations, or none, will come to be still before God. It is a place of relaxation, restoration and revival; a place where people walk and talk with their Father God.
The Values
Community does not come from what you do but the values you jointly hold. For that reason we have developed a number of core values. These are listed below and are foundational to the SCC.
- A place of worship and prayer, centred on Christ, which uses a daily rhythm of prayer and is open to all.
- A place of blessing rather than condemnation where mercy overcomes judgement.
- A safe place where people can be free to relax, spend time with their Father God in His wonderful environment and participate in any activities only if they want.
- A place of healing, restoration and equipping; a place where people come to be refreshed, restored and returned to their everyday lives, their jobs, their churches. In this sense, as in the Columbian model, it is a place of caring, blessing, teaching and mission.
- A place open to all, offering God’s blessing on all; a Christian resource free of denominations but soundly based on Christian values and beliefs.
- A place that is missional in its outlook, training people for service in their local churches and society, applying their gifts for the glory of God and His Kingdom and the benefit of society. The centre will especially seek to be a resource and encouragement to the local Christian churches on Arran and for local churches throughout Scotland and beyond.
- A part of the local community and a place where the local community can come and be part of the centre’s work. Its facilities, specifically Sannox Church, will be made available to the local community whenever possible.
A place reflecting the values of the Celtic Church; ie a place where the spiritual and physical meet. A place where the economy, environment and society meet with the spiritual. For this reason the centre will be sustainable in every way possible
The Mission
SCC will offer support and encouragement to local churches in their work and
will do that in three ways – through giving space and time for individuals to meet with God, by equipping local churches and groups through the courses and facilities offered and through supporting local churches in their areas. The SCC is especially committed to the support of the local churches on Arran but also to local churches throughout Scotland and beyond.
