GROWING IN CHRIST
ON 23rd JANUARY we had our parish retreat to the House of the Open Door. The day was a great success, and helped us identify a number of areas that we wanted to ‘grow’ in our life together. Over the last few weeks a remarkable number of volunteers have generously offered their time and talents, such that we now have a range of ideas for the coming year, in each of the areas that we wanted to focus on in the light of our retreat:
1. Spiritual Growth
1.1 We’re planning a series of short courses, beginning in September, designed to feed our spiritual life together. The first of these courses, Exploring Spirituality will consist of around six sessions exploring the spirituality of different traditions, provisionally including Iona, Taize, Franciscan, and Orthodox.
1.2 In addition, we’re hoping to use books currently stored in the gallery as the basis for a new library at the back of church. The books need updating, but hopefully in the next few years, with a small budget of perhaps £50-75 per year we might build a library that will be a helpful resource to the congregation..
1.3 And, of course, next year we’ll be going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land – 1stth March 2011.
2. Forms of Worship
Our spirituality course in the autumn will provide new ideas for enriching our worship. In addition, we’re also planning a number of small changes:
2.1 Greater use of silence in worship.
2.2 Exploring altering times of one or two services, to make them more ‘user-friendly’.
2.3 Introducing a Gospel procession: the gospel is processed into the centre of the church, so that it can be read – and proclaimed – within the heart of the congregation.
2.4 Explore introducing incense at ‘high days and holy days’ – please let me know if you have any views on this, as I know it can be an emotive topic.
3. Youth and Schools
We now have fourteen helpers for our new Children’s Church, which is scheduled to ‘launch’ on 18th April. Vicky Reynolds will be leading us in this.
4. Use of space/communication
Volunteers have come forward to explore:
4.1 Reviewing signage inside and outside church.
4.2 Make some slight adjustment to the layout of the interior of the church.
In both these areas, I’ll act as ‘link’, co-ordinating people’s efforts.
4.3 In addition, we have also now set up a Finance & Accommodation Committee (under the auspices of the PCC, and chaired by John Prangnell) whose remit is to strengthen the financial position of the church, find ways of maintaining and improving the accommodation, plan ahead for future financial and accommodation issues that may arise (including perhaps the need for a new boiler, picking up on people’s concern on retreat that a cold church is off-putting to visitors).
5. Pastoral Care
5.1 We now have a small but committed group exploring the area of bereavement care. In addition, the group will also look at hospital/home visiting. Sylvia Render has agreed to co-ordinate volunteers. Meanwhile, Arthur Burgess has offered to explore ways of developing a Garden of Remembrance in the church grounds.
5.2 We’ve also had volunteers offering to help strengthen our links with baptism couples. Janet Hart will co-ordinate volunteers.
5.3 Irene Allen has volunteered to draw up a ‘welcoming rota’, so that there’s always someone on hand to befriend those who are visiting us, and who may need a little more time than the regular stewards are able to spare in the rush before the service.
Please do get in touch if you’d like me to clarify any of the above, and continue to pray for all these new initiatives. I’d also encourage you to reflect on whether or not you may have something to give to help us move forward in these areas. Please support in whatever way you can – though I have to stress that I’m conscious that there is already an enormous amount going on in church, with a wealth of dedicated volunteers. You may well be one of those, and may already be giving all you can – in which case I simply encourage you to pray for us. At the end of the day, it is God alone who can make a success of these new initiatives, and your prayers have a crucial role to play in that.
Yours In Christ,
Christopher
