Gordon's Blog Spot: Captain's Log February 2015

Everything is new and different, and presenting a challenge. That includes a new lap top and lay out…

We are now living in a Methodist Manse! Because of what was being offered we decided that we would accept the salary package rather than the stipend package. However this did mean having to either buy or rent a property. We made a trip to Stafford to look around the area in October and managed to get a feel for the place. However, the Estate Agents told us that if we were looking to rent in January there was no point in looking at anything until December. So we made the long trip back to Stafford in early December. We looked at a few houses but nothing was suitable, either too expensive, too small or in the wrong place. I had a text from a friend Revd Sheila Foreman (Methodist) who knew a Methodist Minister in Stafford who had served sometime in Horsham. I contacted him and left a text message. He came back the next day and said they might be able to help as they had a Manse coming available in Stafford. There is a story behind how the Manse became available and all I will say is please pray for P and her family who have suffered an awful bereavement.

Although the house is four bed-roomed it is considerable smaller than our previous house. So we have been culling, sifting and sorting and making daily trips to the tip and charity shop. We still have a long way to go and two of the bedrooms are full of stuff acting as ‘storerooms.’ We are also outside of the town and our nearest Coffee Shop (Costa) is a 40 minute walk away. We have visited our local Anglican Church. As lovely and welcoming as the people were we do not feel particularity drawn there. We also paid a visit to the local Methodists who were amazingly friendly, warm and delighted to see us. We have visited St John’s Littleworth, a couple of times now which is about 3 miles away. This looks more promising, although making that journey is a bit of a pain.

We also made a trip over to Oswestry to visit my sister-in-law Alison. We joined her for worship at Hope Church, had some lunch, then a few hours chatting back at her home in Pant. The Service isn't until 10.45 so it was not that difficult to get over there and back in a day. This is great to know as this was one of the attractions of moving here.

On the work front it is going amazingly well so far and I have been deeply impressed by the warmth and friendliness. There is also a very rich, deep thread running through everything that the Diocese is committed to growth, both numerically and depth of spirituality and discipleship. There is an honest assessment that we need to do things differently and face tough decisions. A number of new key appointments have been made, and mine is one of them. There is quite a buzz about the place. Initially I have been trying to get out and about and meeting as many people as I can.

Licensing on the 17^th January in the Bishop’s Chapel Lichfield.

Bishop Jonathan behind, with Archdeacon Mathew and Bishop Geoff flanking me. I am working closely with both + Geoff and Matthew. On this occasion it was wonderful to have the support of Jane, Captain Andrew Smith CA and Jennie Davies who had traveled up from Brighton.