Feed-back was good, but numbers were down and those who I had hoped to encourage to take new steps in discipleship were away on the whole... Never mind, the best made plans of mice and men and all that...
Showing posts with label loughton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label loughton. Show all posts
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Being Church
Following last month's service at All Saints' at which we wrote a job description for church members, this month we spent some time reflecting on the nature of church membership and the aspects of it through in interactive service involving baptism, communion, confirmation and stewardship...
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Job Description for Church Members
I while ago I was lucky enough to see a job description for a minister (won't say the denomination or location) which included a job description for a church member.
So on Sunday I asked the congregation of All Saints' in Loughton what they thought the job description of a church member should be, and they came up with this description:
In brief it said that the duties of a church member were:While I'm sure this may have been helpful for any prospective clergy, it seemed to me that it missed the mark if we see church members as disciples or "practising Christians".
- to attend services and meetings
- to support the work of the church financially
- to let the minister know about any pastoral needs
So on Sunday I asked the congregation of All Saints' in Loughton what they thought the job description of a church member should be, and they came up with this description:
Church Membership - according to ASL
- Everyone is welcome regardless of age, gender, race or background. Sinners are in particularly high demand.
- A close relationship with God is something you should want. You will need to be willing to maintain it with prayer and Bible study.
- Turning up for public worship and small groups is crucial. Spending time with fellow members is essential for personal growth and community involvement.
- Loving others is a key task. You will need to be willing to care for fellow members - and even the clergy.
- Your mission will be outside the church family. You will be expected to love your neighbour - even if your "neighbour" is on the other side of the world. Liking Fairtrade coffee would be an advantage. Can you be a spokesperson for the disadvantaged?
- Sharing your faith with others is a responsibility of all members.
- Live life to the full! - as God is calling you to do.
You should be:
- Willing to give your time, talents and money for the work of the whole Church. It's a full time job!
- Open minded, flexible, punctual, non judgemental and a good listener. An ability to multi-task would be helpful.
- Willing to face whatever is thrown at you. You may be required to lay down your life.
Key skills: It would be helpful to be a keen singer. Grass cutters and cleaners are in high demand.
You will be:
- Changed by God!
- Paid? - the rewards are eternal - but you may need to wait...
Saturday, 11 April 2009
Egg Rolling
It wouldn't be the Saturday before Easter without the annual egg-rolling and decorating event - including the annual opportunity to target Rozi with boiled eggs - and the usual controversy over what constitutes "doctoring" an egg. In the past there have been attempts to gain a small advantage by freezing, painting or rapping - but this year it did seem to be a fair fight!Isla was absolutely delighted to win the over 16's competition - and longest overall roll I think - not that there's a prize for this...
The entertainments were supplemented this year by a raffle and a treasure hunt in aid of the renovations. Roger sent us on a tour of the graveyard for £1 each - raising nearly £100 overall which isn't bad.
This year's egg decorating competition was as serious as always. My entry was a Eggstra Terrestrial.There were a number of really clever entries, including the wonderful "fried egg":
Iona made an eggsclamation mark:But which cam first, the egg or the chicken leg?
Izzy won her age group with an eggstremely big giant:
...and Isla won again with a wonderful Chancellor of the Eggschequer - identified as Alistair Darling through the clever use of black and white paint...
All in all a wonderful way to spend Holy Saturday and a good example of why All Saints' is doing well...
Sunday, 29 March 2009
Passion Sunday
The Assumption, Wavendon
I started the day with a 9:45am service at Wavendon. It's hard to believe this church is really part of Milton Keynes Deanery since Wavendon is just outside the boundaries of the city and feels like a rural parish. It would be interesting to know how many people come from the village and how many walk or drive in from the city...
It was good to meet some new people here and begin to get to know them. I was also pleased to see an old friend from Holy Cross who has moved east so there was one familiar face...
Water Eaton AGM
I managed to scoot across to Water Eaton in time to join St Frideswide for their AGM. I missed the annual meeting of parishioners but was pleased to hear that Gail and Ron have been elected as church wardens. Ron replaces Malcolm who has done such a good job steering this vibrant congregation into its current phase of growth.
I chaired (most of) the AGM which was a good experience - as it was last year. It's a good way of indicating official support and involvement while giving them space to be themselves. They're a good bunch. This LSM pilot project is going well!
All Saints AGM
I was a bit late for the All Saints' Loughton AGM but this was fine since Derek Martin was in the chair and doing a really good job. It was good to see how the AGM functioned after a year of congregational meetings supported by a servant leadership team.
I particularly enjoyed the green voting cards that members got to wave.
Although All Saints' isn't an official LSM pilot it's busy doing all the things we might expect an LSM community to do. It would be good to see them get a bit of credit for their achievements.
Memorial Service
Derek Martin was also leading a memorial service this afternoon at All Saints' and did a good job as far as I can see. Well done Derek!
Wedding Preparation
We held our second revamped Watling Valley wedding prep session at All Saints' this afternoon. It seemed to go extremely well and we had eight couples (I think).
It was good to see members of the team begin to relax and develop their presentations as they began to feel at home with the material. These sessions are improving all the time! A big win for the WVEP team!
Hospital
I finished the day with a trip into hospital to see someone who is really not well. Her grandaughter phoned me this afternoon to let me know.
Home
After a long day of work it was good to have a quick snack and watch Heston Blumenthal as a family and collapse into bed - sleep....
I started the day with a 9:45am service at Wavendon. It's hard to believe this church is really part of Milton Keynes Deanery since Wavendon is just outside the boundaries of the city and feels like a rural parish. It would be interesting to know how many people come from the village and how many walk or drive in from the city...
It was good to meet some new people here and begin to get to know them. I was also pleased to see an old friend from Holy Cross who has moved east so there was one familiar face...Water Eaton AGM
I managed to scoot across to Water Eaton in time to join St Frideswide for their AGM. I missed the annual meeting of parishioners but was pleased to hear that Gail and Ron have been elected as church wardens. Ron replaces Malcolm who has done such a good job steering this vibrant congregation into its current phase of growth.
I chaired (most of) the AGM which was a good experience - as it was last year. It's a good way of indicating official support and involvement while giving them space to be themselves. They're a good bunch. This LSM pilot project is going well!
All Saints AGM
I was a bit late for the All Saints' Loughton AGM but this was fine since Derek Martin was in the chair and doing a really good job. It was good to see how the AGM functioned after a year of congregational meetings supported by a servant leadership team.
I particularly enjoyed the green voting cards that members got to wave.
Although All Saints' isn't an official LSM pilot it's busy doing all the things we might expect an LSM community to do. It would be good to see them get a bit of credit for their achievements.
Memorial Service
Derek Martin was also leading a memorial service this afternoon at All Saints' and did a good job as far as I can see. Well done Derek!
Wedding Preparation
We held our second revamped Watling Valley wedding prep session at All Saints' this afternoon. It seemed to go extremely well and we had eight couples (I think).
It was good to see members of the team begin to relax and develop their presentations as they began to feel at home with the material. These sessions are improving all the time! A big win for the WVEP team!
Hospital
I finished the day with a trip into hospital to see someone who is really not well. Her grandaughter phoned me this afternoon to let me know.
Home
After a long day of work it was good to have a quick snack and watch Heston Blumenthal as a family and collapse into bed - sleep....
Saturday, 28 March 2009
A Wonderful World
Wendy and Laura from All Saints' Loughton organised an amazing concert, "It's a Wondeful World" for the reordering fund. They raised roughly £1,300 and we all had a good evening - watch out for more in the Citizen...
Sunday, 15 February 2009
Magic on a Sunday
John Rowcroft-James was preaching at All Saints' today and did a splendid job. I was particularly pleased with the way he held the congregation during the first half of his sermon. His confidence is growing and he is now beginning to show what he can do. Well done!He was a bit unfortunate to have me sitting in the congregation - but I really didn't have a clip board at the ready!
He had also planned to do a magic trick - which is wonderfully ironic (or magical?) given Friday's post: No Magic on a Sunday! - and he had only read my blog that morning - magic or the Holy Spirit?
Saturday, 6 December 2008
All Saints Christmas Fair
This was another big "Christmas" day with music centre concerts in the morning, a fair in the afternoon and a ball in the evening. Iona and I were left at home for the concerts since she had already missed hers. Izzy, on the other hand, had two so she and Isla were out all morning.
Iona and I therefore had the job of preparing "splat the rat" for the Christmas Fair. Unfortunately, when I went up to the loft, it wasn't there! I think someone must have borrowed it...
We therefore spent the morning building a new improved "splat the rat" game - this time with three rats and a fixed drainpipe!
This was the day of All Saints' Christmas Fair - and it was a special one.
This was the first event in the newly refurbished Memorial Hall - which now has proper loos, lots of storage - and no mould on the walls! Hooray! In fact it's now a splendid resource which will be a real asset to this community.
This was also the launch of the All Saints' re-ordering fund - an ambitious plan to raise money for a major revamp of the church. This is a huge project which will eventually involve replacing the floor - which is in an abysmal state - with beautiful stone slabs with underfloor heating - which will enable the church to ditch the elderly dodgy heating system. Once this has done the old pews will also be replaced with comfortable modern chairs - enabling the church to put on services and events appropriate to the kind of community they are.
It's an ambitious project but they are making an excellent start - and Roger is leading the charge...
This afternoon we were on duty with "splat the rat" which isn't a big money spinner but does provide entertainment value...
In terms of fundraising this was probably a very good year. The raffle alone raised £1,200! I think this confirms what I've often said - people don't give to maintain things, but they do give for vision. I have every confidence that this project will be a success and look forward to seeing how a revamped building will release the potential of this energetic church.
Iona and I therefore had the job of preparing "splat the rat" for the Christmas Fair. Unfortunately, when I went up to the loft, it wasn't there! I think someone must have borrowed it...
We therefore spent the morning building a new improved "splat the rat" game - this time with three rats and a fixed drainpipe!
This was the day of All Saints' Christmas Fair - and it was a special one.
This was the first event in the newly refurbished Memorial Hall - which now has proper loos, lots of storage - and no mould on the walls! Hooray! In fact it's now a splendid resource which will be a real asset to this community.
This was also the launch of the All Saints' re-ordering fund - an ambitious plan to raise money for a major revamp of the church. This is a huge project which will eventually involve replacing the floor - which is in an abysmal state - with beautiful stone slabs with underfloor heating - which will enable the church to ditch the elderly dodgy heating system. Once this has done the old pews will also be replaced with comfortable modern chairs - enabling the church to put on services and events appropriate to the kind of community they are.It's an ambitious project but they are making an excellent start - and Roger is leading the charge...
This afternoon we were on duty with "splat the rat" which isn't a big money spinner but does provide entertainment value...
In terms of fundraising this was probably a very good year. The raffle alone raised £1,200! I think this confirms what I've often said - people don't give to maintain things, but they do give for vision. I have every confidence that this project will be a success and look forward to seeing how a revamped building will release the potential of this energetic church.
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Sainsburys
SainsburysI had a few minutes to spare between dropping off the kids and my first meeting this morning so I decided to pop into town for the grand opening of the new Sainsburys store.
Unfortunately I missed the opening ceremony by minutes but I'm told the ribbon was cut by a woman who has worked for Sainsburys (in MK?) for 35 years. I don't think the current store was open 35 years ago, so maybe she worked in Bletchley when I was little...
Although I missed the opening, I did get to see Paul Samme from All Saints' Loughton make the first sale in the electricals department. There was much excitement about this and Paul politely escourted the lady from the store - service with a smile!It's a huge store and a bold move. I wish them all well and hope this new shop will be a real community hub in the expanding centre of Milton Keynes.
Friday, 25 January 2008
Loughton Residents
Vicar's Letter for Loughton Residents Magazine
In medieval times the difference between a hamlet and village was the presence of a church. In the same way that a city had its cathedral, a village had its church. Even today, a church building can be seen as a benefit to a community. Living close to a good looking old church building can be good for house prices - unless you don’t like the bells…
Modern Loughton has undoubtedly changed a great deal since medieval times, and yet some things have remained the same. There is still a real feeling that Loughton is a village – not a housing estate. Many people refer to it as “the village” and enjoy the benefits of being part of this wonderful community. The old medieval church is still here, and many people like to see the tower poking up above the houses – a reminder of our past, and symbol of village identity…
Not so long ago, most people lived in small villages. They knew all their neighbours and they would often travel only a few miles in their entire life. Today, most people live in towns and may not know their neighbours. They sometimes travel hundreds of miles every day and may go on holiday on the other side of the world. Medieval villages were quite small simple communities. Our community is massive and complex. It’s easy for people to feel lost or disconnected… We live busy lives. We work long hours. We struggle with issues that our ancestors wouldn’t even understand…
Some people think that churches are just a reminder of the past, but they can have a very important role in a modern “village”. They can be places where people find space to reflect; they can be communities in which some people find home; they remind us that there is more to life than what we can see and touch; they are meeting places where significant things can happen.
All Saints’ Loughton, like the rest of the village, has changed a lot over the years, but it’s still there, and you are most welcome to share it with us. Come and join us for some of our events. Come and see if you want to be part of our community. You are welcome to spend time with us and with God, who we believe is still here with us in Loughton today and adds value to our lives, just as stone and mortar can turn a hamlet into a village.
Best wishes from All Saints’ Church
Written on 25/1/08
Not sure about this letter, but needed to say something. Loughton is interesting. It's one of our most prosperous areas and it has two churches, a memorial hall, a sports pavillion, two schools, and various other fascilities within easy walking distance. In some ways its easy for Loughton to be a village - but what about some of our settlements without these fascilities. In many ways we ought to be drawing attention to these areas and encouraging the people of Loughton to think about how less well resourced grid squares might develop as contemporary villages - and what they could do to help... although this may not be realistic...
In medieval times the difference between a hamlet and village was the presence of a church. In the same way that a city had its cathedral, a village had its church. Even today, a church building can be seen as a benefit to a community. Living close to a good looking old church building can be good for house prices - unless you don’t like the bells…
Modern Loughton has undoubtedly changed a great deal since medieval times, and yet some things have remained the same. There is still a real feeling that Loughton is a village – not a housing estate. Many people refer to it as “the village” and enjoy the benefits of being part of this wonderful community. The old medieval church is still here, and many people like to see the tower poking up above the houses – a reminder of our past, and symbol of village identity…
Not so long ago, most people lived in small villages. They knew all their neighbours and they would often travel only a few miles in their entire life. Today, most people live in towns and may not know their neighbours. They sometimes travel hundreds of miles every day and may go on holiday on the other side of the world. Medieval villages were quite small simple communities. Our community is massive and complex. It’s easy for people to feel lost or disconnected… We live busy lives. We work long hours. We struggle with issues that our ancestors wouldn’t even understand…
Some people think that churches are just a reminder of the past, but they can have a very important role in a modern “village”. They can be places where people find space to reflect; they can be communities in which some people find home; they remind us that there is more to life than what we can see and touch; they are meeting places where significant things can happen.
All Saints’ Loughton, like the rest of the village, has changed a lot over the years, but it’s still there, and you are most welcome to share it with us. Come and join us for some of our events. Come and see if you want to be part of our community. You are welcome to spend time with us and with God, who we believe is still here with us in Loughton today and adds value to our lives, just as stone and mortar can turn a hamlet into a village.
Best wishes from All Saints’ Church
Written on 25/1/08
Not sure about this letter, but needed to say something. Loughton is interesting. It's one of our most prosperous areas and it has two churches, a memorial hall, a sports pavillion, two schools, and various other fascilities within easy walking distance. In some ways its easy for Loughton to be a village - but what about some of our settlements without these fascilities. In many ways we ought to be drawing attention to these areas and encouraging the people of Loughton to think about how less well resourced grid squares might develop as contemporary villages - and what they could do to help... although this may not be realistic...
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