A minister in a Connexional post told me that he most missed being pastor of a church at Christmas time. I must admit there is a different feel about this Christmas: the headlong rush to come up with enough sermons of relevance and to weed out the jewels of Carol-dom from the glut of Victorian sentimentalism in the hymn book is this year not an issue but despite approaching the Advent with the feeling that for understandable reasons perhaps mission is not on the top of agendas during the festive season , there's been plenty to keep me occupied. Of these a few highlights:
Property scheme visits to Silverstone and East Leake showed small congregations enaging seriously and bravely with the need for change and experimentation in mission. Leading a Sunday service at Queensgrove church in Northampton was a priviledged opportunity to share with a congregation ministering to their community at a time of great need following a fatal stabbing just yards from the church steps, now covered in flowers. A visit to Melton Mowbray helped to lay plans for a circuit Fresh Expressions weekend, which Andrew Barker will lead in February, whilst a presentation to the preachers meeting in Banbury was a chance to explore what FX is beginning to mean in several promising iniatives in that circuit.
In the midst of all this was a days retreat with a good friend during which Luke 2.19 was the focus of my meditations:
Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart
During strange, exciting and scary times, the only certainty is that God is at work.
Property scheme visits to Silverstone and East Leake showed small congregations enaging seriously and bravely with the need for change and experimentation in mission. Leading a Sunday service at Queensgrove church in Northampton was a priviledged opportunity to share with a congregation ministering to their community at a time of great need following a fatal stabbing just yards from the church steps, now covered in flowers. A visit to Melton Mowbray helped to lay plans for a circuit Fresh Expressions weekend, which Andrew Barker will lead in February, whilst a presentation to the preachers meeting in Banbury was a chance to explore what FX is beginning to mean in several promising iniatives in that circuit.
In the midst of all this was a days retreat with a good friend during which Luke 2.19 was the focus of my meditations:
Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart
No comments:
Post a Comment