Rector’s Letter – November 2017

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.” [Colossians 3.16]

Dear folks,

Last month we enjoyed a wonderful Harvest weekend together as a church family. On the Saturday night we raised nearly £300 for Mary’s Meals. Lots of fun.

On the Sunday morning Young Church contributed wonderfully to a Harvest Festival that was enjoyed by a grand turnout. Laura read the Epistle beautifully and with confidence (2 Cor. 9.6-15), and Carrick and Drystan enthusiastically shared in reading the Gospel (Luke 12.16-30) with appropriate expression. Hazel and Mia surprised the congregation with a mobile phone ringing loudly during the service which turned out to be a deliberate lead into a thought provoking sketch/drama based on the parable of the rich farmer from the gospel read by the boys. Julia and Peter helped John lead the intercessions, and all Young Church sang a song for the congregation early in the service. Morag talked about being satisfied with what God has blessed us with. Altogether it was brilliant, and many people commented to that effect as they left the building that morning.

On the 8th October we enjoyed a service with hymns chosen, prayers led, and reflections by the Hosanna Life Group. It was the first service that one of the newly formed life groups have been involved with. Again it was a special occasion which had been carefully and prayerfully prepared.

My hope is that as the Life Groups become more established we will develop a regular pattern of services that they help shape and deliver. I am hoping that the Supernovae Life Group are going to take a lead in a service in January 2018.

I am very keen to involve more folk in shaping the worship so I am preparing to establish a worship committee that you will be able to email suggestions of hymns and songs to, familiar or new, for use any time or for particular festivals and occasions.

Worship is one of the joys of being a church, but it is a very subjective thing that can be the cause of division and frustration. We have shown how this can be avoided when people show the kind of accommodating grace and tolerance that the people of St Mary’s show which allows us to embrace such a variety of “hymns and spiritual songs”, so that we can all worship God together regardless of our own preferences. So, thank you.

God bless, Nick.