Dear friends,
What can l say, but thank you so much.
When I thought l would have a buffet luncheon for all my friends in both churches i did it simply to say THANK YOU to you all for the love, support and encouragement you give to me in the course of my daily work. l didn’t want any gifts, but nevertheless accept gracefully that which was given to me during the service prior to the luncheon again thank you.
I think I caused a little confusion with the headline of last month’s letter when I wrote about entering the final seconds of the game and going into extra time and thus received a few retirement cards thank you also for them. I have stored them in a drawer and will get them out if/when that day arrives.
l was referring to being 65 years old and going on and in a new form of ministry. Well new in one way and the same in another. Does that make sense?
On 20th. May (Pentecost) the Missional Partnership arrangement will be rolled out through our North Western Synod. As mentioned last month we are to be in Lancashire East Partnership (there are three others within our county but we are the largest). At present we are well resourced in ministry, whereas the others only have one minister in each group and will soon be declaring vacancies for any who may be interested in coming into such an arrangement.
As we enter into this all the churches have ministerial oversight, until Lena retires from the other three URC’s in Blackburn in August. it is envisaged that our partnership will have a maximum of three ministers, thus until we are down to two (from five at present) we will not be in a position to declare a vacancy and that will be for someone to be called to the partnership, not individual church pastorates or groups as at present.
You may well be wondering how this will affect us with with my role at Kingsway and Woodlands. Well the simple answer is that it won’t that much, except that along with the others i may be expected to get involved in extra initiatives, indeed we all may!
As with anything that’s new it is easy to condemn and not be welcoming, but we must give it a chance. It has been widely discussed and prayed about and we have to accept that it may Well be a way forward. ‘
We will have a celebration to launch this for our two churches at Woodlands on Sunday 20th. May at 10.30 am. I do hope as many as possible with attend. If you require transport please ask and it will be sorted out.
In the mean time this pensioner will plod on alongside and with you all as we do our own bit for the Lord in this part of His vineyard.
Alan