To many of us, Christmas can feel like going over a high waterfall; everything is out of our direct control as the last few events rush past, then ‘Splash’, we find ourselves in still waters once again. Those ‘Still Waters’ will be February this year. The blissful calm before Ash Wednesday on 5th March and the inexorable wind-up towards Easter. I do love those big festivals, but they are exhausting, for all of us. So this month – February – is a very special time to me.
This is the time, with the garden still dormant and insufficient light for decorating, to reflect on the year just gone and the one ahead. What shall we do with the opportunity it presents? I have a few projects for our home and Cathi has a big birthday to celebrate in May, but what of your church?
A church is an organism, a living thing, for which the building provides both the space to worship and gather, but also a public sign of the life within and around. As with any organism, it must grow, else it will die. For growth, it needs release from anything that might constrain it and space to grow into. One of the things that holds your church back at the moment is the lack of an effective Sound System. Many of us are hard of hearing, so a good Sound System is vital if God’s Word is to be heard. We also need to simplify our administrative systems, so that we do not waste time on inefficient procedures. We want to be free to focus on our mission of making everyone aware of God’s love for them, His gift of hope and His release from our burdens of guilt and wrong living.
So those are the constraints, what of the space? Over the last few years we have made great strides through our Family Services and Celebration Sunday Services. People of all ages enjoy their free format and enquiring nature. Together, through these Services, we are giving our children a really good Christian grounding for life. But what of young adults and parents? Do such Services address the questions, doubts, worries and hopes that they may have. This is where we feel called to reach out during 2025. We propose offering some small discussion groups, possibly in the evening, over a beer or wine. Do look out for notice of such sessions. Is this for you?
Wishing you every blessing
Andrew
Rev’d Andrew Hemming, Priest for Redhill
07584 124 198