Web Page Letter
June 2010
Last week was Lobley Hill Community Festival – a great opportunity to be involved with the folk from our neighbourhood. We had a really great time – as always we had a 'tiny tots corner' with the slides, a little house, home corner and some drawing and painting. Some of our preschool staff were there alongside others from the church – we gave away balloons and invitations to our Sunday services.
Being down in Beggarswood meeting all sorts of people that have been part of our life in some way over the years made me think about what it means to be a local church. We are of course firmly rooted at the heart of the communities that we serve – All Saints in Lobley Hill and St Cuthbert's Marley Hill. That is an amazing privilege. I have just spent a full day interviewing for new members of staff for our Primary School in Lobley Hill (now that Maggie Howard has retired I have helped with the appointment of every other teacher including the Headmaster). I had lunch with the children who are always quick to either tell me about themselves or more often to enquire after Scruff (my 'dog' who regularly comes to assemblies with me. I have another puppet – a bird called Wilbur but Scruff is their favourite).
We have also had invitations from two local residential care homes and so we have started to put a small team in every month. As well as being at the heart of our local community we must also have the community at heart.
I have just performed several weddings – including a girl I first saw when she was 3 hours old – I baptised her and so it was a joy and a privilege to be there for her wedding. We try to respond positively to baptism requests – and always make the service as enjoyable as possible – with musicians and the puppet team. We also provide a DVD of the occasion in a special presentation case – along with an invitation to our 'baby bouncers' group.
It is also really important to be there for people during times of bereavement – to celebrate the life of their loved ones and to bring God's peace and comfort.
We are often asked how we attract all these people. The short answer is that we don't. We don't set out to attract anyone – we just seek to be faithful to Jesus command to go into the world and make disciples. It is all about being there for people, meeting them where they are, being there for them, and sharing the love of Jesus in every possible way.
We firmly believe that the local church is the hope of the world. Being a local church is not about being a place where people come. It is about what we are – about how people see us.
Our desire is that when people look at us they see something of the love of Jesus – in whose name we ARE the local church.
With every good wish.
