FROM THE MINISTRY TEAM February 2025 Thoughts Hanging the washing out I noticed a sign of life in the garden, green shoots, obviously planted, because they were in rows. I am not the gardener in our family, Peter does that, I just potter, but with enjoyment, when new shoots appear through last year’s growth which has protected the plant in the frost and snow. I believe in the protection of the new growth so in my patch I don’t clear away the old until the new shoots appear. I am a lazy gardener as well. Those shoots in the rows are broad beans which Peter had planted before the winter. He tells me they produce better pods by planting the seeds early because they can stand the wintry weather and it prevents black fly, and they make strong root systems. Why am I waffling about our garden you might ask? By the way, waffle means talk and not necessarily nonsense. Well, I think our garden and what goes on there is like our churches.There are those who are committed to keeping the furniture in a structured, more formal approach; pews in straight lines, the seeds who position themselves on those straight lines hopefully grow, some having strong roots. There are those that grow from the fellowship; casually chatting and sharing their lives with others at coffee mornings and soup lunches, probably pottering, encouraging seeds to grow where they will.There are those who visit to experience the wild yet nurtured church garden, then venturing inside, taking note of the changing photos portraying the long historic sustainability in the life and the growth of our church communities.Then there are those who visit our garden and eat the produce gladly given away. There is always a surplus.Our garden and our churches, because of all the time, nurturing and care that is lovingly given to preserve them benefit from the fellowship of frequent visits in the presence of The One who continually feeds and gives. His generosity never ends, and His promise of New Life is visible each year so all power to those who help to nurture the places where He can be found.Judy Hailes, Reader