After a very busy week

After a busy two weeks (four days of meetings this week) I have a relatively empty diary for the coming week - though that will not mean there is nothing to do.

A week or so ago I discovered that a day I had set aside for working with the Salvation Army in their "Safe & Sound" training programme was to be a conference centre at Ditchingham, not far from Norwich.  Since I would have to travel there the day before I wondered if this would provide an opportunity for a gathering of local rural church leaders where we could explore rural evangelism.  I discovered that there was a free room on that day and the Revd Sally Gaze, author of Mission Shaped and Rural kindly offered to join me for this occasion.

Since then I have been trying to make contact with local church leaders across the denominations to spread the word.  Information has been put on the new website at www.ruralmissionsolutions.org.uk and a network of colleagues have been passing on the information and flyers.  We already have a few booked in but really need several more to make the day more helpful.  Please pray for the numbers to increase.

Progress is being made in the editing of the guidance report for the Church of England on pastoral care of those in our churches who have been abused.  The challenge is finding space to give dedicated attention to this.

On the subject of writing I am grateful for the offer of help from a friend and retired minister, the Revd David Phypers who will be helping me on articles for Country Way.  There is an Editorial Group meeting this week on Monday at the Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.

On Tuesday I have submitted apologies to two London-based meetings as I need to create space to finish other tasks.  However, this will allow me to take a school assembly in Yelvertoft and get into Gartree Prison for the choir for a couple of hours.

Friday evening we are back to "meetings" with our quarterly Area Executive Meeting for the Congregational Federation.  Then next Sunday I will be taking the service at Yelvertoft followed by a gathering at Newark.

Much, but not all of the past week's activities can be read by scrolling down through this blog.  One thing that I did not mention was an excellent presentation at the CGfE meetings.  This was by a specialist street evangelist.  This found echoes within my heart and I hope that we will find ways of working together - especially in the area of encouraging personal evangelism.

On a personal note our GP has been busy looking after Doreen who now has an appointment for an internal examination at one of our local hospitals in a few weeks time.

We are very thankful for some donations recently received that help us keep the ministry in the rural areas going.  I encourage you to keep praying for God to raise up some who will share the vision for church based rural evangelism and help us practically in this work.

Thank you.

Meetings to make a difference

I have just had two very interesting days.  On Monday at Nottingham I joined with others from the United Reformed Church ad the Congregational Federation to reflect on how we might want to commemorate an event back in 1662.  On Tuesday I met with others in the Churches Group for Evangelization (Part of CTE).

Revd Dr Alan Argent tells  what happened 350 years ago

On August 24th 1662 around 2,000 Anglican clergyman chose to follow their consciences rather than bow the knee to the State as it imposed control upon the Church of England.  It was costly as it meant losing homes and livelihoods.  But they wished to stay true to their vision of a pure church, led by scripture and the Holy Spirit rather than constrained by prescriptive and repetitive patterns of worship, among other matters of principle.  On that date (set by the authorities as a deadline) many would have had no idea where their future might lie.  In some cases whole congregations stood by the ministers they loved and respected.  Most of them found their future within the Independents - dissenting churches that would ultimately be known as Congregationalist.

The event strengthened the numbers of dissenters leading to the diversity of expressions of church seen around the world today, and set worship and ministry of God's word free from constraint.  The challenge for the inheritors of such a heritage - primarily Congregational, Welsh Independents and URC churches is to mark this occasion in a way that is missional and will establish a legacy for coming generations.

The Churches group for Evangelization

Tuesday afternoon was spent exploring some of the current or developing national mission initiatives. These included "Hope Together", "Bible Fresh", and "More than Gold".  All have websites you can look up.  We then contemplated how these might link to and serve a variety of special anniversary celebrations coming up.  Among those mentioned were the 1662 commemorations, events linked to the ministry of Pentecostalists George and Stephen Jeffreys, and special sermon by William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army.

In the evening we welcomed Chris Duffet, a Street Evangelist who inspired us with his stories of how the gospel is being shared on the streets of UK towns.    On Wednesday we shall reflect on what is happening within the Churches and association church bodies to share the message of Jesus Christ today.

From my diary for the week ahead

Firstly, please read the posting "Walking Hand in Hand" for news of recent activity.

Sunday - no actual ministry but supporting services/providing equipment for Yelvertoft and Market Harborough.

Monday - a meeting in Nottingham planning special events for 2012 which is a special anniversary of a major event in English church history (more info to follow).

Tuesday/Wednesday  - a residential conference as part of the Group for Evangelization (part of Churches Together in England).

Saturday - Mission and Society Committee meeting all day in Nottingham.

All week - writing/editing papers on the pastoral care of those who have been sexually abused.

It will be a busy week!  Please continue to hold Doreen in your prayers.  We are waiting results from tests and a further hospital appointment.

Thank you.

"Walking Hand in Hand"

The following is an extract from my October piece for our Parish magazine in Yelvertoft.  This monthly article is widely read and I get many encouraging comments from local villagers - including some who rarely attend church.  I try to include some gospel element within it and since the start of 2010 have concluded with a short prayer.

I am writing these lines not long after attending the special service at Westminster Abbey where evening prayers were said in the presence of the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury.  It was quite an event and as I looked around the thousands gathered there I was able to recognise a number of familiar faces from various Christian denominations. I was included among the invited guests as I serve as the Convenor of the Congregational Federation’s Board that deals with ecumenical and inter-faith relationships.

In fact this was the culmination of a week of walking “hand in hand” (as the Pope described it) with fellow Christian of other traditions.  On Wednesday and Thursday I had facilitated two meetings (one based at Market Harborough and the other in a village near Rugby) of rural church leaders that included a mixture of Anglicans, Methodist and Congregationalists who gathered together to share their encouragements, to learn from one another and pray together.  On Wednesday evening I took part in a meeting of representatives of many more churches in Market Harborough.  On Thursday it was my privilege to spend several hours advising two members of a German University faculty exploring rural mission on behalf of the Lutheran Church.

Such experiences do not require me to make any compromises as to my personal distinctive beliefs and practices.  What all of these events had in common was a shared concern that others might come to know the same wonderful Friend and Saviour we all know – that is the person of Jesus Christ.  This over-arching passion comes not from any church institution but from experiencing the generous work of God in undeserving individuals.

My own Christian tradition is a simple one.  We do not have a hierarchy of bishops or venerate saints.  We do not have rituals or incense.  We do believe the Bible to be God’s word to us today, and it was a delight to hear so much of the Pope’s messages filled with scripture with Jesus at the centre of it all.

Learning to walk “hand in hand” is an enriching, enlightening and exciting experience and I unhesitatingly commend it to others.

This month’s Prayer

Dear God, save me from a narrow mind and the arrogance of thinking I already have a complete grasp of truth.  Put in me a searching heart and mind, and lead me to know you, and then to know you better.   Amen.

The Weekly News

Firstly I would like to thank those who have been praying for Doreen.  I was surprised to look back and see that it was over a month ago that she was taken ill.  This week I took her to see a specialist in Rushden, Northants.  He ordered a number of tests and we are now waiting for an appointment for an internal examination.  She is eating as little as possible and has lost weight.  Hopefully we will get a date soon.  Our GP who had been on holiday when she was taken ill had picked up on the results from one of the tests and telephoned us earlier this (Saturday) evening.  Now that's diligence!

My ticket for the ecumenical service (part of the Pope's visit) arrived during the week.  So many things have cast shadows across this occasion and I will put something on my " Reflections" blog, rather than take up space here (barryosborne.blogspot.com).  My piece written about Terry Jones brought quite a lot of agreement.  I'm glad he has cancelled his original plan.

Since my last posting I took a team from Theddingworth village church into Gartree Prison for the Sunday Service.  This was followed by informal fellowship during which I was able to have a couple of good conversations with prisoners.  Late the evening before I got news that two of our older members from Yelvertoft had been taken ill.   It was feared that the lady might have had a stroke.  She was having great difficulty in walking.  From the prison I rushed the 15 miles to Yelvertoft to catch the end of the meeting (taken by the Rev. John Harris) and then visited this couple.  After praying with her there was an immediate improvement and she was able to walk once again.  Tests indicate that it might not have been anything other than an infection.  I'm just glad she's so much better.

We have had some family visits.  Firstly our niece, her husband and there daughter visited from a village near Bedford.  Katrina and Jim are strong Christians.  Then my brother and his partner called in on their way to visit his son who lives in Nottingham.  I also managed to take a little free time over recent days.

In addition to taking the services at Yelvertoft and Theddingworth I have been involved in two different Board Meetings for the Congregational Federation (nationally), and a Committee Meeting for this Area.  Here are the activities for the coming few days:

I am involved in writing and editing papers for the report to go to the House of Bishops (Church of England) on pastoral responses to those who have been sexually abused.  This has to be completed as soon as possible ready for a meeting on 20th September.

Sunday 12th   Yelvertoft Congregational Church
Tuesday 14th  Gartree Prison
Wed. 15th  12.30   Rural Church Leaders' Network for south Leicestershire & north Northamptonshire.
                   19.30  Harborough Churches Together (attending)
Thurs. 16th   9.00  Meeting with two Germans who are researching rural evangelism.
                    12.30 Rural Church Leaders' Network based around Rugby.
Friday 17th  Ecumenical Service in London (part of the Pope's official visit)
Monday 20th  Meeting in Nottingham planning special celebrations to mark the 350th Anniversary of the Great Ejectment.
Tuesday/Wednesday 21st/22nd  Residential meetings for the Churches Group for Evangelization.
Saturday 25th  Mission ans Society Committee in Nottingham.

As always - thank you very much for your interest and prayers.

Barry