Ppromoting Good News in the Countryside

I take comfort from the fact that in some ways I am still relatively young but, of course, whatever years lie ahead it is logical that they will be much less than those that have passed.  One of the symptoms of growing older is noticing the more frequent passing of your friends.  This week I received the news that Bessie Bryers has recently gone to be with the Lord.  Arthur and Bessie were special friends because we share a common concern for proclaiming the gospel in rural Britain.  Arthur was General Secretary of the Friends Evangelistic Band (now known as Village Hope) when I came to know him.  He was one of those who saw the importance of different rural missions working in a generous and supportive way towards one another, and was a founding member of the Rural Evangelism Network.  Bessie was both a foil and a support to Arthur, complementing both his personality and ministry.  Our prayers go out to Grace Philip and Margaret, and to those friends in Village Hope that will be saddened at the loss of Bessie from this stage in life.

It has been a quieter week compared to those immediately previous, but it has still been busy.  So much so that I have yet to do the administration behind the itinerary in Ireland, now several weeks back.  In addition to the regular (but not routine) ministry at Yelvertoft on Sunday and Gartree Prison on Tuesday, a village funeral (always a significant ministry) on Tuesday and Bible Study on Thursday, I took part in a telephone conference planning for the 2013 International Congregational Fellowship Quadrennial Family Conference.  This is scheduled for July and will be held at Brunel University.  Please take a look at information at www.intercong.org.  I look after this website and a couple of Facebook Groups for ICF.

It was a thrill to receive a letter and book from Germany recently.  It deals with rural ministry and mission and I am one of a number of contributing authors.  Both the letter and book are in German, so I was grateful to a friend who kindly translated the letter for me.  Part of it read, "Your contribution has enriched the discussion in the rural situation - many thanks."  Please pray as this book edited by Dr Thomas Schlegel and Marin Alex of the University of Greifswald reaches rural churches in Germany.

I know that many of you have been praying as I have shared in the appointment of a Children and Families Worker for the East Midlands Area of the Congregational Federation.  Carrying out the interviews for this new post was not an easy task as we short listed four applicants and all had much to offer.  This morning a final interview took place and we reached a decision.  This is not the right place to make a full announcement but I do want to thank you for your prayers.  Between now and the beginning of February when the role begins there is quite a lot of important work to be done.  I ask you prayer for Mick, Anna and me as we carry this out.

The Bible Discussion Group in Yelvertoft is working through 1Corinthians.  If anyone would find commentary notes from these studies useful please let me know.  I am hoping to produce a set of papers for those who are unable to meet with us on Thursday mornings and can easily share them more widely.

Please pray for the ongoing work of the trustees of Action for Christ  This is not an appropriate place to record all the problems we are still working though from previous management.  Terry, Elizabeth and I need your prayers.

This Sunday morning Doreen and I will be at Yelvertoft and in the afternoon we will be at Gartree Prison where the Prison Male Voice Choir will take part in song and drama during the annual Christmas Service.  The choir is singing Timothy Dudley Smith's carol, "Holy child, how still you lie" (MP 236).  There is normally a good attendance so please pray for all the Chaplaincy Team as we celebrate the amazing gift of Jesus.

On Wednesday I will be leading a Christmas Carol Service for older people in Yelvertoft.   Then next Sunday morning we will be holding our Christmas Warmer event instead of a more traditional carol service.  This is strictly informal, with carol requests, mulled wine, mince pies, coffee and chocolates. The biblical story of  Christmas will be woven throughout.  Christmas is a great opportunity for us to share the good news, but it is easily lost among the drama of the non-biblical story.  The challenge is to make the message clear and plain - yet winsome to win some.  I believe that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation and we need to tell it well.

So I pray that God will bless you as you get caught up with all the activities in the run up to Christmas.  May there be space in your timetable to spend some quality time with the Lord, and real deep sense of peace and joy from the Holy Spirit.

Your in his service,

Barry