As I sit to write this article I am confronted by the news of fighting in Virginia USA and of a car deliberately driven into a crowd, killing at least one person. Contrast that with a text from St John’s Gospel (chapter 15) in which Jesus told his disciples that Read more…
One of the peculiarities of ordained ministry is the notion that a minister is parachuted into a church and hits the ground running. That running takes on a momentum of its own and before we know it, the minister has been in post for a couple of months and few Read more…
Whatever Is Happening At Christ Church?? In our last Messenger we confidently outlined the arrangements that were being put in place for the time after Helen left. However all this has been thrown up in the air by some other staff changes. Our congratulations go to the Rev Paul Davis Read more…
From ‘Priest-town’ to ‘God’s port’ Dear Friends, It is with some sadness that I write what will be my final pastoral letter to you all – in just a few short weeks; Colin and I will face the upheaval of moving house once more, as I leave to take up Read more…
Dear Friends, One of the main difficulties faced by some churches today is the reality of an aging congregation and a lack of younger people willing to help out or take over key roles. It can be a real problem – not just when it comes to mission, but also Read more…
Dear Friends, What is the wise way to spend your time? This was a question that came up recently when I was looking at the lectionary readings for Sunday worship, and it made me realise that probably a good use of time is to acquire wisdom! The apostle Paul advised Read more…
Dear Friends, As you may know, on the 5th June 2012, I will embark on what has been a long awaited trip for me. From being a small child listening to Bible stories, to being an adult training for Ministry, I’ve wanted to see if the pictures painted in my Read more…
Dear Friends, Being a relatively active person, it was with some dismay that I found myself having a period of ‘enforced rest’ towards the end of January. This was due to an existing problem with my knee being exacerbated by a loss of balance one morning as I stepped into Read more…
Dear Friends, You know, they say that one of the best ways to sustain a meaningful relationship is to keep talking to each other – whether that is just communicating the day’s events, or through a more in-depth conversation. It is an important part of keeping that relationship alive Read more…
Dear Friends,
In June it was the annual URC Minister’s Summer School, held this year in the Lake District at the URC Windermere Centre. It is one of my favourite places to be and a beautiful part of the country, even when it is raining! However, we were rather fortunate with the weather, and it was good to meet with colleagues I hadn’t seen in quite a while.
Summer School is not (as some have been known to comment) a ‘jolly’, but rather it’s an intensive time of discernment and learning for URC Ministers and CRCW’s (Church Related Community Workers) of the North Western Synod. Though some free time is factored in, Summer School is not for the faint-hearted, as sessions can continue almost back to back from 9 in the morning until 9 in the evening. However, it does give an opportunity to think and reflect on things we would not readily come across in daily pastorate life. (more…)