There are lots of new things happening as we approach a new year together, with a new vicar, and we are about to become a new united benefice – two parishes working together to the glory of God. Personally I have a new job – my wife Christine and our children have a new home to settle into and lots of new friends to get to know. Straight away we had a new task of driving the children to school and to work out the best route.
I’m very aware that you have a strange new vicar to get to know. Every vicar has their own way of doing things, and it will take a little while to work it out, but I think we’ll make a great team together. I’m pretty good at remembering names, and at remembering faces – but sadly not too good at putting them together, so everyone seems familiar to me as an old friend! So please take pity on me and remind me of your name, and excuse me if I keep forgetting.
I’d like to take the opportunity of thanking all those who have worked so hard to keep things going so well during a long and difficult vacancy. I know there has been a lot of uncertainty, and we wouldn’t have come through so well without the fantastic work of our Church Wardens, our Reader and Church officers – so a special thank you to Derek and Graham, and Marlene,
Pam and Anne, and many more.
I’m sure everyone knows about the new united benefice that is being created with All Saints and St. Peters – and it may even be official by February! It has been a long time coming, but when it is finally approved by the Church Commissioners it will give us another excuse for a party. I’m already impressed by the friendly and collaborative way we have begun working together, and
I’m convinced this will lead to many fruitful friendships and ideas.
As we enter the season of Advent and Christmas we hear the words of the prophet Isaiah, in chapter 43 “See, I am doing a NEW THING! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” It reminds us that while God never changes, he is always active, always moving, and always surprising us in new ways with new things.
No-one expected the Messiah to come in the way he did, even though it was written in the prophets. God was taking a big risk and doing something new and unexpected to reach
out to the human race – and all because of his amazing love for us, for you and me. The fanfare news went out first to the poor and excluded, the shepherds on a hillside, and they had the privilege of welcoming the new king to the world.
I think this sets our agenda for the new year – to take risks, to boldly do new and even unexpected things to reach out to those around us – especially for the young and the old. I am looking forward to many new possibilities and challenges ahead, because God is always giving us new hope for the future.
Yours in Christ, Steve
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