Way back around 1990 when I was doing regular work for the Diocese of Portsmouth I spent an afternoon with the congregation from one of the village churches and had felt a strong exercise of mind that I felt to be the leading of the Holy Spirit. We were looking at what makes a mission strategy "appropriate", and I felt I had to emphasise that it is only appropriate if it is what God was asking the church to do. What I felt I had to do was to ask the people what they felt God was saying to them at this time.
At the appropriate moment I posed the question which was met with painful silence. Feeling rather foolish I was all for moving on with the programme when I felt the Holy Spirit urge me to press the point again, but in a different way. "Is there anyone here," I asked, "who feels that God has been speaking to you recently? Perhaps it might seem like a theme that keeps coming up."
This was a middle-of-the-road Anglican church, not consciously given to supernatural revelation of any kind. Was this all my imagination to press this point? Then a young woman in the group of around 24 people raised her hand. I asked her if she would feel comfortable telling everyone what she felt God had been saying to her, and was pleased when she shared that she felt God had been saying that she should not be embarrassed to mention her faith in Jesus to others.
Now I was relieved that at least someone had responded, and I was ready once more to get further into my prepared programme. Then once again came that urging of the Spirit. So taking a deep breath I returned to the issue one more time. "Tell me," I said, "but please be honest, is there anyone else who feels that God has been saying to you personally exactly what he has been saying to this young woman?"
24 hands were immediately raised! I am not sure who was most amazed - me or the vicar? This was the first time (as far as I am aware) of this congregation discovering God in their midst, speaking to them as a church.
Yesterday (Saturday), I attended the Annual Assembly of the Congregational Federation. The incoming President, Brian Grist, took as his theme, "What is God saying to us?" He was bold enough to include in his Presidential Address a time of inviting the Holy Spirit to speak to us. We were then to write down what we felt we were hearing and check it out in small groups. What I wrote is not relevant here but the importance of ensuring we have some space and method for capturing what we believe God to be saying - or asking of us is vital. How do you do this in your church?
The past week in a nutshell
It has been mostly a matter of playing catch up after two weeks off. On top of my pastoral work there was the regular prison visit, a planning meeting for a summer outreach, a visit to the Christian Resources Exhibition, and preparing materials for yesterday's meeting and this Monday's Sunrise Ministries trustees' meeting.
I'm not sure that I told you that I managed to fit Doreen's electric scooter into the back of the recently acquired Vauxhall Meriva. It was good to prove it could be done and enabled Doreen and me to enjoy an activity during last week's break that her walking difficulties would otherwise have prevented. I am so grateful for the advice a good friend gave, and the opportunity to purchase a 3 year old car with only 10,000 miles use for a reasonable price. God is good!
The coming week
This Sunday morning I am leading the meeting and speaking at Yelvertoft. Then some final preparation work before going to Hastings ready for the trustees meeting on Monday morning. Stan, our chairman is recovering from a heart operation and might be well enough to be with us. Graham, another trustee cannot be with us as they have had a bereavement in their family. Both need prayers please.
There will be some administration work with my colleague Monica in the afternoon. The rest of the week does not have many engagements so I hope to catch up on the study programme. We are reaching a critical stage on the MPhil/PhD research degree and this part of the work is challenging. It is not that I need the degree or have not enough to keep me busy. I feel strongly that I serious study of rural evangelism is a must before I get much older. Out of this work I hope to produce articles, papers, and perhaps a book to help those God calls to follow in rural evangelism. It is every bit as important as other aspects of active ministry, but in many ways this stage is a lot harder. I need your prayers please.
Next Sunday I will be back at Clarendon Park Congregational Church, Leicester.
Final remarks
Thank you for your prayers. Please drop us an email to let me know you have been praying and tell us your news. We are thankful also for gifts received towards the work. Last year we ran at a loss which is indicative of the difficult times we are passing through. I am sure we are not the only ones affected in this way and we need to pray for one another and look to our faithful God.
Barry
At the appropriate moment I posed the question which was met with painful silence. Feeling rather foolish I was all for moving on with the programme when I felt the Holy Spirit urge me to press the point again, but in a different way. "Is there anyone here," I asked, "who feels that God has been speaking to you recently? Perhaps it might seem like a theme that keeps coming up."
This was a middle-of-the-road Anglican church, not consciously given to supernatural revelation of any kind. Was this all my imagination to press this point? Then a young woman in the group of around 24 people raised her hand. I asked her if she would feel comfortable telling everyone what she felt God had been saying to her, and was pleased when she shared that she felt God had been saying that she should not be embarrassed to mention her faith in Jesus to others.
Now I was relieved that at least someone had responded, and I was ready once more to get further into my prepared programme. Then once again came that urging of the Spirit. So taking a deep breath I returned to the issue one more time. "Tell me," I said, "but please be honest, is there anyone else who feels that God has been saying to you personally exactly what he has been saying to this young woman?"
24 hands were immediately raised! I am not sure who was most amazed - me or the vicar? This was the first time (as far as I am aware) of this congregation discovering God in their midst, speaking to them as a church.
Yesterday (Saturday), I attended the Annual Assembly of the Congregational Federation. The incoming President, Brian Grist, took as his theme, "What is God saying to us?" He was bold enough to include in his Presidential Address a time of inviting the Holy Spirit to speak to us. We were then to write down what we felt we were hearing and check it out in small groups. What I wrote is not relevant here but the importance of ensuring we have some space and method for capturing what we believe God to be saying - or asking of us is vital. How do you do this in your church?
The past week in a nutshell
It has been mostly a matter of playing catch up after two weeks off. On top of my pastoral work there was the regular prison visit, a planning meeting for a summer outreach, a visit to the Christian Resources Exhibition, and preparing materials for yesterday's meeting and this Monday's Sunrise Ministries trustees' meeting.
I'm not sure that I told you that I managed to fit Doreen's electric scooter into the back of the recently acquired Vauxhall Meriva. It was good to prove it could be done and enabled Doreen and me to enjoy an activity during last week's break that her walking difficulties would otherwise have prevented. I am so grateful for the advice a good friend gave, and the opportunity to purchase a 3 year old car with only 10,000 miles use for a reasonable price. God is good!
The coming week
This Sunday morning I am leading the meeting and speaking at Yelvertoft. Then some final preparation work before going to Hastings ready for the trustees meeting on Monday morning. Stan, our chairman is recovering from a heart operation and might be well enough to be with us. Graham, another trustee cannot be with us as they have had a bereavement in their family. Both need prayers please.
There will be some administration work with my colleague Monica in the afternoon. The rest of the week does not have many engagements so I hope to catch up on the study programme. We are reaching a critical stage on the MPhil/PhD research degree and this part of the work is challenging. It is not that I need the degree or have not enough to keep me busy. I feel strongly that I serious study of rural evangelism is a must before I get much older. Out of this work I hope to produce articles, papers, and perhaps a book to help those God calls to follow in rural evangelism. It is every bit as important as other aspects of active ministry, but in many ways this stage is a lot harder. I need your prayers please.
Next Sunday I will be back at Clarendon Park Congregational Church, Leicester.
Final remarks
Thank you for your prayers. Please drop us an email to let me know you have been praying and tell us your news. We are thankful also for gifts received towards the work. Last year we ran at a loss which is indicative of the difficult times we are passing through. I am sure we are not the only ones affected in this way and we need to pray for one another and look to our faithful God.
Barry
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