Dear Friends

This will be my last letter to you.  Today I wanted to focus on our churches and all that we have sought to do over these past years despite the huge upheaval of Covid and the financial challenges we have faced.

It seems to me, that at the heart of these past years, we have sought to do something that appears simple but requires deep and faithful thinking and effort – and that is to be a truly welcoming church.

This is not simple because it’s about more than a welcome. It’s about seeing God in people that are different from ourselves and going beyond that to value their Christian journey and the gifts skills that new folk might bring into our church fellowship.  It’s about accepting that not all worship will be as we would like it to be but recognising that we must support what feeds others as much as what feeds ourselves.  It’s about being a church that has its head above the parapet and our eyes focused on the horizon, seeing beyond our own needs and issues such that we are connected to our community and enabling us to pray fervently for the problems of the world.  It’s about taking risks and putting things in the hands of God and it’s about being committed to discipleship and prayer.

We all know that church life can be fragile.  That maintaining forward momentum requires everyone to engage, and above all to listen to others.  It requires the stewards and church council to consider options carefully, prayerfully and wisely.  We must be wary of dominant voices that can end up supressing others and we must seek to speak with grace and to find the good things in other people’s ideas. 

Above all I want to give thanks for how you have looked after me and Michele and our ministry as we have sought to serve you.  I pray that you will do the same for Rev Jem and his family and of course for Rev Michael, Rev Chris, and Martyn Filsak our local lay pastor.

You will always be in my prayers as you live and serve in the name of Christ.

Be strengthened as you strive for perfection,
becoming what you ought to be;
encourage and comfort one another
as you seek to be of one mind and live in peace.
Then the God of love, who is the source of all goodwill, and peace will be with you.  (2 Cor 13:11)

God bless you all.

Rev Alan

Contact

• Telephone 07712332075 (Elaine Panchal, Circuit Administrator)
• Email via the categories Superintendent Minister or Circuit Office on the Email Contact Form