My involvement with the Stafford RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association) continues to go well and I have now been duly trained,
approved and vetted! I recently spent a couple of hours in Stafford Sainsbury - RDA is their Charity of the Year.
Let me tell you a story - let me tell you my story!
I really believe that one of the
key elements in sharing our faith and witnessing is our story. I had the great
privilege of telling my story at the Mothers’ Union AGM. My story began by
playing ‘Fame – I wanna live for ever,’ which picked up my desire to become
famous and saw me travel to Newmarket at the age of fifteen in the hope of
becoming a famous jockey. I didn’t find fame but found Jesus. I discovered the
only place you need to ensure your name is written is in the Lambs Book of
Life. Jane brought my story to end an end by singing ‘Through it all, I’ve
learned to trust in Jesus.’ My challenge
to them was, ‘that’s my story, and so what’s your own faith story?’ To help frame a 'faith story' I have found Ben and Ann very helpful. Ben stands for Before Encounter Now and is mostly conversion Christians. Ann stands for Always known God Needed to have an owned/personal faith Now, mostly cradle Christians.
'Summerfest' It was great to get the Caravan
out plus all my garden games, badge making and bubble machine. Jane and I spent
the weekend at Ilam Caravan Park and took part in a Mothers’ Union Family Fun Day based at Dovedale House, a Christian
Residential Centre.
On the Sunday I preached nearby at St Peter’s, Alstonfield. Interesting to reflect that we could have been accommodated at Dovedale House. However I think we made the better choice staying in the Caravan Park. Sometimes it is important to step outside the Christian bubble!
Whilst in the Chichester Diocese
I got involved in Spiritual Direction. Therefore it was a delight to meet up
with Christine who is the Lichfield Diocesan
Spiritual Companions Advisor. She
has the most amazing Reflective Garden that includes a small Hermitage where guests can stay or small groups can have Quiet Days. www.reflectiongardens.org.uk I am also pleased that I now have my own
Spiritual Companion. It is so important that we tend and nurture our own souls.
Part of my role is to support
Benefices and Parishes during Vacancies which includes taking Services. As such I led a Praise & Worship Service for St Peter’s, Forsbrook. St Peter’s is one of those places where you
can invite and wait upon the Spirit. So
often, particularly at the beginning of our worship, we simply set off along a
familiar path not really thinking about what we are doing. One man said it was one of the most memorable
and profound Acts of Worship he had been to in that Church going back over 40
years! Thanks be to God! Invite the Spirit and see what happens!
Structure, order and the Spirit all help bring us before God in praise, worship
and adoration. 
July ended with a trip
down to Cornwall taking the Caravan. We had the Baptism of Daniel and Tracey’s
second child, Lowenna. We had thoughts of a nice weekend in a good campsite
because the Church Army caravan is really basic; just one step up from camping!
The journey down on Friday was a nightmare in the pouring rain all the way
there and a journey of five hours took over eight! Saturday was a nice day so
we took the opportunity of visiting Lanhydrock, near Bodmin. We settled down on Saturday night having
enjoyed a BBQ and a bottle of wine only to be woken up at 5am with a howling
gale and a gazebo that decided it was going to be a kite! So we both went out in our PJs to try and
sort things out and got wet, very wet. The joys of camping and caravanning in
Britain! Thankfully the Baptism went
well, albeit we were somewhat bleary eyed. Michael Marshall, the Priest at Holy
Trinity St Austell, led the All Age Worship that in many ways focussed around
the Baptism as they had as their theme, ‘Philip and the story of Ethiopian
Eunuch.’
Prayer
Diary for August 2015
Not a huge amount of appointments in August.
Therefore I am taking the opportunity of catching up on admin and reports etc.
Also some planning for things like the Parish Weekend for St Michael and All
Angels, Lancing, in September. We are also hoping to get ourselves a little
better sorted. Things got rather dumped when we arrived and there are still
boxes and files and other stuff to sort, sift and possibly get rid of! (We lost one gazebo in Cornwall!) We also
plan to take some more time out, spending time together and perhaps visiting a
few places to help us get to know the area a little better.
Sunday
9th
Preaching at my home church for the first
time! (St John’s Littleworth)
Thursday
13th
Meeting of a small group to explore
‘resourcing rural mission.’
Sunday
16th
Preaching at St Anne’s, Brown Edge
Tuesday
18th
Meeting with Ministry Team at Swynerton
Thursday
20th
Diocesan Group who are engaged in the
promotion of LICC. www.licc.org.uk
Friday
21st
Small group meeting to explore a Church
presence at the Shropshire County Show.
Monday
24
Meeting with my Spiritual Companion
The Family – you will have picked up on the lovely baptism we had
for Lowenna. Pray for Daniel and Tracey and the girls, especially as Daniel
takes a break from school. Tabitha continues
to flit between here and Crawley, pray for her safe travelling. (Tabitha also
has a developing relationship with a nice young man!) Joe and Jen - yes the Wedding of the Century looms ever closer.
However more immediate prayers for Joe
who took a tumble off his motorbike – broken wrist, broken shoulder and a
damaged knee. Jane continues to keep
busy with music making and visits to the gym (and looking after me and the
house!) plus making all sorts of creative items for the Wedding. These include
paper button holes made out of a book of poems by Edgar Alan Poe!
Holiday
for Jane and I will come after the wedding, so latter part of September early
October. Pray for strength to keep on
going!
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