This will be just a short update as I am still preparing for my talk on Sunday, the first of the Meet Jesus mission Sundays. My mind is full of the wonder of the grace and truth John saw in the Lord Jesus, the grace and truth of God, the grace and truth we receive as we trust the Lord Jesus today. But being able to explain that and help others see that this is worth everything is another thing than having your mind full of it, so please pray for Sunday, for my talk, for all who are involved in the service, that they would be warm, welcoming, and their words would be marked by grace and truth, and for the friends and family many have been praying for, that they would come and meet the Lord Jesus themselves.
But I do need to say something more to the 11am Congregation about the meeting being planned for the evening of the 27th (Tuesday 27th of August, 8pm) Growing out of reflecting on Acts 6 where the disciples together found a way of resolving some of the problems of growth by delegating the solution to godly and able people the meeting is an attempt to follow their example. At 11 there are problems of growth, good problems to have. In particular there are issues with parking and with making sure the time after church is safe and encouraging for the many children who attend at 11. In addition we need to think together about incorporating and loving our Iranian brothers and sisters. We will be seeking to address all three on the 27th. This will not be a large brainstorming session. Rather we will seek to outline the issues and then look to the congregation to choose some able people who will be willing to address the issues. E.g. in relation to parking people who might be responsible for valet parking for those with difficulty walking, or directing movement in the car park, or encouraging the use of the parking across the road, or …. . None of these are preferred solutions, just an indication that improvements need to be thought of and implemented. In relation to children after the service – there is a lot of scope for thinking about spaces, supervision, common behavioural expectations arrived at and communicated. But what we need is some chosen whom the congregation trusts to implement changes. If what is being looked for, or even why anything needs to be done, puzzles you, come along on the 27th and learn more. Perhaps you might even consider and pray about whether you might be willing to serve by accepting responsibility for finding and implementing changes that will make it easier for people to come to the 11am meeting – or at least arrive less frazzled, or make it safer for all children after the service, and also more relaxed for adults. The goal is to keep our meeting as a welcoming and encouraging time, to remove any obstacles to people joining us.
It will also be a time when we can think about how we can not just welcome but include in our love for each other our Farsi speaking brothers and sisters who have come from the Saturday night meeting to join us at 11. This is an opportunity for us to embody the truth that, whatever our background, we are one in Christ, and that Christ rules in our relationships with each other.
So, if you attend the 11am Congregation, plan for one of you at least if you are couple to be present at 8:00 pm on Tuesday August 27th, and pray that it would be a useful step to addressing the issues of growth in a way that honours our Lord Jesus and makes it easier for people to join us to hear of Him and be encouraged in the faith.
Speaking of meetings, let me also give you forward notice of a congregational dinner being planned for Saturday evening October 12th. This will be a meeting where we can review our year and our finances to this date and allow us to think about and prepare for what is to come. So we will have an update from the selection committee; a budget update in preparation for approving terms of call, which we must do to allow us to call a minister; hear from Helen about how she is going in settling in to her new role; and talk about our ministry needs in 2025 in light of my retirement, Lord willing, when I turn seventy.
Please put that date in your diary, and as you think about the future pray the prayer Paul prayed for the Thessalonians. Pray that God would make us all worthy of His calling and fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in us and we in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12.
