Mid Summer in Albury

Time passes and I have really failed as a blogger!

We have had a busy three months and with high summer in Albury itis time to remember the Old Church Service in June which was well attended and supported followed by a barbecue for the Churches Conservation Trust who actually own the building. We presented a cheque to CrispinTruman who is the CE of CTC (if you get the initials!)

Tent Service is coming up- my last big event in the parish as retirement looms from September. Our last day is Sept 18th.

Grove  Books have published my memoir of ten years in Albury called “Growing Churches through House for Duty Ministry” – it is an account of the joys and pressures of growing a thriving church from small beginnings and for that, and all our time here we give God thanks.

It is ages since I have written anything. The excuse is a three week holiday in February and a busy month or so since then. It was Mothering Sunday yesterday with a full church, a baptism and an interview with our local Pollce Officer Nick Sharpe who “arrested” me at the start of the service and led me handcuffed to the back of the church- much to the amusement of many! 

It is good to see families coming to church but there is a serious risk of spiritual erosion and drift with  the competing pressures of sport and other things. In a secular 24/7 society is it any wonder that our spritual lives suffer. There is an urgent need for families to re appraise their spiritual priorities and for the church to look at ways of ministering to them at other times than a Sunday morning. Some churches are doing cafe style worship on Sunday afternoons at say 5 followed by tea or using other days of the week. We are losing touchwith some familes whose children are older and this is disappointing. Some have travelled the journey here with us for some years and it is sad that we so rarely see them now. The overall growth of the church and an influx of younger familes means that this drop out is actaully masked by the numerical attendance on Sundays. Albury kids football is mostly on Saturday mornings but Sunday rugby is also becoming the norm. There is also the problem that parents face when the child announces “I don’t want to go to church” If the church services were boring and inaccessable one could understand how the kids feel!  They are not!

One family I knew years ago said to their kids-” we support you all week by attending all the things you do. Will you support Mum and Dad in one of the things they want to do”  Parental will is crucial in this matter and this remains an on going challenge for the church in a post christian world.

A group of the church are going to Spring Harvest in Minehead this year- some for the firsttime- always a great experience.

Easter is late so school holidays and planning are chaotic but we do out best- I am giving out curlie wurlies rather than eggs on Easter Day.

You may have wondered where I have been and perhaps speculating that the vicar is on holiday. Actually I go tomorrow so this is moment to catch up.

The New year brings challenges here both for the congregations and for us as we realise that we have celebrated out final Christmas here and out thoughts, along with the parish, are turning to the future. Important discussions are taking place with the rector and the archdeacon (representing the diocese) about the shape of the future pattern of ministry here. Should it be stipendary, semi stipendary or the status quo of “House for Duty”

It is a time of uncertainty and change and I can offer thoughts along the way but cannot decree what should happen or attempt to orchestrate it.  The parish will need leadership and a continuing engagement with the families- a task whichcannot be met by the notional “Two days a week plus Sundays”  

There are increasing Sunday pressures on families and although we have sustained remarkable numbers at family worship in what is really a tiny parish, the attendance of 75 this morning was our lowest for some time. At some point the parish will have to say to the families- if you regard the spiritual nuture of your children and your own faith journey, you will have to make a stand against the secularisation of Sundays and also probably find another slot in the week to come together. We can always make time for what is important to us, The fluctuating attendance within a body of probably 150 adults and chidlren remains a cause for concern. This is a problem many churches face, particularly with the competing pressures on a Sunday. It is a pity of church is in the end at the botom of people’s list of priorities- “If we have nothing else on we go to church”  

There is a little secret that they have yet to learn . It is the promise of Scripture that “Those who honour me (God) I will honour ” and by putting God first we do not lose out. Jesus said “Seek first God’s kingdom and all these things shall be yours as well”

Despite all this we remain encouraged by what is going on here and will return at the beginning of March refershed (We hope) by Carribean sunshine and fired up to complete our final 6 months here.

Christmas 2010

It has been ages!  Mainly because of my laziness rather than my busyness! 

We saw through the Christianity Explored Course with well over 50 people taking part in 4 venues inlcuding the Village Hall. Lots of questions and discussion- one of the things that surfaces is the fact that people can be church goers fo years and still not really understand the heart of the Gospel- why did Jesus die?   I suspect that many churches discover this and there is an on going challenge to build on what folk have learnt by reading Mark’s Gospel and also to encourage people to read the Bible for themselves. I have read it and we win in the end!!

Survival is the name of the game here with two bouts of extreme snowfall. We had a week’s holiday in Egypt at the beginning of Dec and missed the first one!  People in the Saga group discovered that I was a vicar; that the parish was knee deep in snow; that sick and elderly needed visiting and here I was sunning myself on the Red Sea Riviera, snorkling and avoiding sharks! (actually we were at Hourghada and not Sharm)  We are just emerging from the second spell of snow which effectively paralyses this part of the parish. I have been kindly lent a 4×4 by a member of the community which is very kind.

Christmas is here and it will be starange for us to be celebrating our 10th and final Christmas in the parish. 2011 means our retirement (Sept) after what will have been 10 extraordinary years here. There is some interest in the growth of thechurch here and we hope that the story will be published by Grove Books next summer.

Christmas poses all sorts of issues – it is a joyful occasion for many but there are those who at this time more than any other will feel the pain of bereavement and loneliness. Pastorally there is a lot to do here.

It also exposes the phenomenon of what the experts call “Folk Religion”- people attending services who rarely if ever come to chucrh at any other time; who cheerfully sing the carols which are known by heart and yet do they have the Christmas message of the birth of a Saviour, their Saviour, in their heart?

In Superman Returns Lois Lane says to Clark “The world doesn’t need a Saviour and either so I”  He replies “Then why is that everyday I hear people crying out for one!”

A Merry Christmas to you

Ken

October 28th

Well another month is nearly over which has seen both the Harvest Festival and also a very large baptism party from a nearby parish which swelled the congregation that day to around 140. The numbers coming to the church are very encouraging in these days of gloomy reports of failing churches and numerical decline.  We are progressing the church extention project now and the brochure for the £200k appeal will be available soon. This is a mind blowing and faith stretching exercise but one famous Christian leader of a former age said “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supplies”

We need an extention at the back of the church which will create a much needed parish lounge or room where two of the Sunday kid’s groups can meet in comfort rather than the cramped surroundings they currently occupy. In addition it will provide a facility for PCC meetings, Benefice Meetings, Coffee mornings and the teaching courses we run like ALPHA and Christianity Explored.

The latter is at its half way point and almost 60 people are takign part in four venues in the village- the main one being the village hall on a Thursday. It throws up all sorts of challenging questions from some who have been church goers all their lives and yet have not had the opportunity to voice their doubts, fears and questions.  People are frightened these days of being “certain” about their faith. The “uncetainity principle” of science seems to rule our hearts and lives .  The course is based on Mark’s Gospel and in the 8 weeks of the course the whole of Marl’s Gospel is read by the participants.  One of the questions last week was “What is the minimum belief needed to be a Chritsian?” I was reminded of the comment by John Newton (of “Amazing Grace” fame) to William Wilberforce. I only know two things. I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Saviour”  No a bad thought for today!

October 6th Harvest

Harvest festival last Sunday- always a special occasion in the village with a congregation of around 110 including 37 children. Most people are regular members of the All Age Congregation. It was my 10th and final Harvest Festival here- every major event is now my last which in its way is quite unnerving.

Christinaity Explored is in week 2 with over 50 participants in 4 venues. The main course is in the Village Hall with half the members. Lots of questions and I am amazed that some folk who have been church goers all their life are conscious of their lack of Biblical knowledge. What does this say- not about them- but about sucessive generations of preachers and churchleaders in our villages? I recall some years ago a Bible Study group here when a lady came whose husband had been church warden for x years and who had attended church for years. She was given a Bible and couldn’t locate Mark’s Gospel.

Work continues on planning the appeal for the New Extension. A glossy brochure will be produced and sent to everyone in the community, the congregation, friends of the church and grant aiding trusts. Perhaps we can put this in the blog or on the web site

Club nights in the village Hall are underway- we are in touch with more than 70 children and young people. More about this investment in the future in due course

Sept 22nd

A week on and here we go again. I am off to a Rural Ministries Conference in Kent today. I am a member of the Council of RM- an interdenominational mission agency which is committed to growing and planting churches in the countryside. It is primarily a free church organization but there are a few Anglicans around representing “the old wine skins!”

What this illustrates is the fact that the work of God is many sided and in today’s post Christian culture we cannot afford the luxury of denominationalism as such. In fact here in Albury although we are the Anglican church with an Anglican history and identity, much of what we do is in effect “post denominational”- we are primarily concerned with building God’s Kingdom and introducing people to Jesus Christ rather than promoting the Church of England per se. There is also in every village situation a tension between being called to be the community pastor rather than the curator of an historic building.

Talking of buildings we are preparing the building project appeal documents with a target of around £200k – this is a big challenge for a small community but we need to build this church room ro enable our ministry to children and adults to develop beyond the physical constraints of the church building.

Another large well attended family service on Sunday- how many villages with a 1000 people have 100 adults and children in church on these Sundays?