Minister's Letter |
Dear Friends,
How quickly this year has flown by and here we are once more preparing for Advent and Christmas celebrations. I don’t know whether you, like me, were so touched by Vernon Kay’s Ultra Marathon in aid of Children in Need which raised £6 million pounds out of a staggering 34 million raised so far for this amazing charity. I listened to a lot of the coverage of the event including the finish which left both Fred and I moved to tears. When he returned to his radio show this week, Vernon paid tribute to the whole team who all “did their job perfectly” in order for the whole event to work and attract so much attention. It led me to think about the team that is “church” and just how much we have to work as a team to make church work and flourish. When we all use our gifts in God’s service then we can achieve many things, and this is never more obvious than at big weekends like the Christmas Fayre and the Nativity Festival planned for the start of Advent; so my thanks to all who work so hard in the life of the church in a variety of vital roles.
This year our youngest grandson is in his first nativity play. He apparently is playing Albert the Angel (you remember him!!) and has one line: “I travelled a long way to find you, Shepherds.” I am sure he will steal the show! I wrote last month about us using the Methodist Church’s resources, “Out of the ordinary” in our preparation for both Advent and Christmas. We will explore many themes both in our worship and in the two study groups that will be available in the four weeks before Christmas. I do hope that we will see with fresh eyes; just as our youngest grandson is discovering; that the nativity is the most amazing story and that God does some “out of the ordinary” miracles in order that his Son may enter human history as a baby.
I am absolutely delighted to say that on January 7th at our Covenant Service we will be making four new church members. It promises to be a special day as our new friends commit themselves to serving God and as we all make our Covenant promises. God has blessed us with many new friends recently and we know that each one of them will contribute to the life of the church and enhance our fellowship. That’s something to look forward to at the turn of the year.
In the meantime, I hope and pray that God will touch your heart with something extra-ordinary this Advent and Christmastide. Fred and I wish you the love, joy and peace of the season and thank you again for all your prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Helen
How quickly this year has flown by and here we are once more preparing for Advent and Christmas celebrations. I don’t know whether you, like me, were so touched by Vernon Kay’s Ultra Marathon in aid of Children in Need which raised £6 million pounds out of a staggering 34 million raised so far for this amazing charity. I listened to a lot of the coverage of the event including the finish which left both Fred and I moved to tears. When he returned to his radio show this week, Vernon paid tribute to the whole team who all “did their job perfectly” in order for the whole event to work and attract so much attention. It led me to think about the team that is “church” and just how much we have to work as a team to make church work and flourish. When we all use our gifts in God’s service then we can achieve many things, and this is never more obvious than at big weekends like the Christmas Fayre and the Nativity Festival planned for the start of Advent; so my thanks to all who work so hard in the life of the church in a variety of vital roles.
This year our youngest grandson is in his first nativity play. He apparently is playing Albert the Angel (you remember him!!) and has one line: “I travelled a long way to find you, Shepherds.” I am sure he will steal the show! I wrote last month about us using the Methodist Church’s resources, “Out of the ordinary” in our preparation for both Advent and Christmas. We will explore many themes both in our worship and in the two study groups that will be available in the four weeks before Christmas. I do hope that we will see with fresh eyes; just as our youngest grandson is discovering; that the nativity is the most amazing story and that God does some “out of the ordinary” miracles in order that his Son may enter human history as a baby.
I am absolutely delighted to say that on January 7th at our Covenant Service we will be making four new church members. It promises to be a special day as our new friends commit themselves to serving God and as we all make our Covenant promises. God has blessed us with many new friends recently and we know that each one of them will contribute to the life of the church and enhance our fellowship. That’s something to look forward to at the turn of the year.
In the meantime, I hope and pray that God will touch your heart with something extra-ordinary this Advent and Christmastide. Fred and I wish you the love, joy and peace of the season and thank you again for all your prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Helen
