Captain's Blog June 2018

The area of Staffordshire is vast and includes some very rugged and beautiful moorland. I paid a visit to a newly appointed Priest, Fr John Baines in Longnor way up on the border of Derbyshire.  Pray that we might develop a good working relationship as I walk alongside him in helping the parishes in his care to embrace mission and evangelism.

 

Keeping with rural, we had a meeting of the Diocesan Rural Mission Group making plans for two Conversation & Consultation Meetings in early June exploring ‘Structures.’  I am really pleased how rural is on the diocesan agenda with people wishing to engage and giving due recognition of its peculiar challenges and opportunities. Check out our dedicated FB page https://www.facebook.com/groups/184152225508512/

I co-led the Family Worship at my home Church (St John’s) using the Godparents Theme and some of the resources available.  It went okay but really needed a lot more preparation and invitations to those who have had their children baptized.  https://churchsupporthub.org/baptisms/occasions-for-follow-up/godparents-sunday-30-april-2017/

On the Sunday afternoon Jane and I dashed off to Cornwall for a few days as we have had an offer on our house.  We took the opportunity to tidy up and mow the lawn – our previous tenant had left the place in a bit of a mess.  It was quite sad to say goodbye after 13 years of house ownership and our little bit of Cornwall.

We had to get back because I had a place booked for the Germinate Lecture given by Bishop Rachel Treweek.  She invited us to consider going back to basics and not get caught up trying to fix all the various presenting problems.  That ‘basic’ is about building the Kingdom of God upon earth.

The full Germinate Lecture video is now available to view on the Germinate Lecture page of our website; you’ll probably need to scroll down a little to find it! We have also produced a short promotional video for Germinate Leadership and the Germinate Lecture which you can find on our YouTube channel (along with a variety of other interesting material!). Please feel free to send these links on to anyone you think may be interested! 

It has been a very rural focussed month because we also had our ‘Chewing the Cud’ this time held at Amerton Craft Farm with some new people joining us.

I took a FCN display to the YFC Annual Rally. Sadly I somehow managed to mislay the two FCN pop-up banners!  (Hope they turn up eventually as they are new ones with our changed logo) www.farmingcommunitynetwork.org.uk 

Then my usual monthly trip up to St Anne’s, Brown Edge to Preach and Lead a Service of the Word.

A trip to London for a Rural Mission Solutions Trustee’s meeting and it was good to have Joy Howell join us. Joy is picking up some of the RMS children’s work and ministry for us.  Do check the web site for upcoming webinars that have become a key feature of RMS – www.ruralmissionsolutions.org.uk

It was good on the way back to have a chance to catch up with our son-in-law’s dad, Philip and have a drink together at Euston station.

More rural and this time with a small group pulled together by the Midland Rural Officers Group and looking at Rural Housing Development.  We recognised some of the key issues and plan to develop a response and maybe further consultations exploring rural housing developments. These raise all sorts of issues for the church,  justice, welcome, opportunity for evangelism to name but a few.

Missioners Network Summer Gathering – and this year back in Blackpool and once again the weather was amazing.  We had a good array of speakers and most importantly a chance to network and catch up with each other from various denominations, agencies and organisations. 

Then the Staffordshire County Show where we had a great team of over 30 volunteers covering the two days of the Show. This year we had Mothers’ Union back with us helping to look after our refreshments. For the first time we had volunteers from Rising Brook Baptist Church who also supplied all our refreshments. It was great to have them on board.  I was invited to be the Honorary Show Chaplain again this year which meant, among other things, invitation’s to the Presidents Lunch, the Presidents Dinner and a few other ‘perks.’  After working Church Tents at County Shows for over twenty years I am so going to miss these when I retire.

    

Some Diary Appointments in June

  

3^rd Sunday

Preaching & Leading at St John’s, Littleworth

4^th Monday

Spiritual Companion JM

Lichfield Church Army Cluster Gathering in the evening.

5^th Tuesday

Diocesan Rural Consultation & Conversation in the morning. In the evening attending the Diocesan Community of Evangelists with a presentation on Catholic Evangelism.

6^th Wednesday

Diocesan Rural Consultation & Conversation in the evening. (Repeat of yesterday in another part of the Diocese)

8^th & 9^th

Delegate at the Rural Ministries Annual Conference. https://www.ruralministries.org.uk/

10^th Sunday (Open Farm Sunday) https://farmsunday.org/

Preaching & Leading Worship at St Anne’s, Brown Edge

11^th Monday

Personal Quiet Day

12^th Tuesday

Stafford Deanery Clergy Chapter (delegate)

14^th Thursday

‘Chewing the Cud’ in the morning at Willington – afternoon, meeting to discuss Shrewsbury Flower Show and RDA in the evening.

15^th Friday

RDA (Riding for the Disabled) AGM and Volunteer’s Supper. http://www.rda.org.uk/

16^th Saturday

Rural Mission Solutions Webinar

www.ruralmissionsolutions.org.uk

Also 15^th – 17^th National Weekend of Invitation http://weekendofinvitation.com/

Monday 18^th

Meeting of the Diocesan Rural Mission Group.

21^st Thursday

Spiritual Companion DC

Lunch time ‘Chew n Chat’ - Rising Brook Baptist Church.

Sunday 24^th

Preaching at St James’, Newchapel

Monday 26^th

Spiritual Companion JC in the morning

(To see my tax consultant in the afternoon for annual return)

Saturday 30^th

St James’, Newchapel Parish Away Day and seeking to draw up a MAP