Why do you think we call ourselves Colin Glen Christian Fellowship? While we answer that question in brief here, we considered what the word 'fellowship' means in today's sermon. Fellowship is not simply having a club where we all feel accepted. It is that. But it is so much more. Church fellowship is the best experience you can have between people, but it is so much more than simply experiencing love and care and being supported by others. Fellowship is not simply about us, it is based on God. We have fellowship with each other, because we have fellowship with God. The word which is often translated 'fellowship' is in the original Greek 'koinonia'. We read that the early Church had fellowship among their first activities: All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. (Acts 2:42, NLT) Paul also mentions 'partnership' (koinonia) in the gospel: I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:3–5, NIV84) Yet, fellowship isn't primarily a human-human experience, but a God-human experience. It is in the first place grounded in a relationship with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy. ” (1 John 1:1–4, NLT) “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. ” (1 Corinthians 1:9, NIV84A) “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. ” (2 Corinthians 13:14, NLT) Fellowship has a moral/spiritual dimension therefore. We cannot have fellowship with each other if we are sinning against each other: So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:6–7, NLT) There is much more that could be said about fellowship. If you are looking for true fellowship with Christians, seek first fellowship with God. If you don't know how to do this, a simple prayer like this one may help: Dear Father in heaven, you know all about me and my situation. I am truly sorry for my sins, where even my best efforts do not reach your standard of holiness. I accept that I deserve your judgment, and that on my own there is nothing that I can do to improve myself enough or make up for my sins. Please forgive me. I know that I can be forgiven because Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross in my place, for my sins. I know that you will forgive me because of your great love for me, in Christ. Please heal me from the brokenness of the past. From this moment on, please help me to trust in the risen Jesus, not only as Saviour, but also as Lord of my life. Thank you for the Holy Spirit in my heart to give me the strength and guidance I need to do your will, and to teach me from your Word, the Bible. From the bottom of my heart I thank you for your great love and forgiveness, my new relationship with you, my new life in Christ, and for the certainty of eternal life with you for ever. Amen.