Now It’s Official

I am Rector of All Saints, Bearsden and St Andrew’s Milnigavie.

After the panic mid-week about the paper work for my institution not being in place by yesterday every bit of paper was there and duly signed.  Through various routes from Lenzie – where the Electoral Synod to start the process of finding a new Bishop for the diocese had taken place in the morning - just about everyone who had planned to get from one place to the other had arrived on time, to an already packed church.  The atmosphere was one of great joy and all around the congregation I could see friends old, new and yet to be discovered.  On a personal note I was delighted that the Dean was conducting the service and that Rev Ruth, purple hair restored - well purple stripes which is a new innovation - travelled across from the East to preach.  Despite her angst over the sermon, it was a belter, and was still being talked about this morning; great news for her, but no so great for me as it meant that I had a lot to live up to. 

A lot of people had put in a lot of hard work to make the day such a success, both with the forward planning, the preparation and doing various jobs on the day, I am grateful to each and every one of them.

This morning saw Back to Church Sunday in both congregations, I felt just like the people who had been invited, for despite leading services for many a year it is always slightly different in each congregation and it is those differences that trip up we clerics, so it all felt a bit new.  I now have recent first hand experience of juggling hymn books and not being quite sure what is going to happen next!  I am assured that there were B2CS attendees in both congregations and while most congregations are doing it next week, I want to put in my claim for having the most unusual B2CS visitor already - a Storm Trooper, complete with mask! 

I got through it all, despite the attempts of a microphone with a flat battery in one place and a microphone with a mind of its own in the other.  It is a bit of a relief to be honest, it was this morning rather than yesterday that I had been most nervous about.  Yesterday I was being done to and just had to remember to turn up, say a few lines, lead the intercessions and administer the bread, today I was the one doing the doing, as it where.  Both congregations have made me so welcome, however, that the nerves weren’t allowed the space to multiply, and along with the gifts of ministry that I was presented with yesterday – including the most glorious stole that was being coveting by several clergy colleagues – this morning the Sunday School at All Saints presented me with a friendship bracelet which will remain a very special gift even when I have to take it off my wrist.

So the beginning is over, now with a diary full of meetings this week the work that God called me here to do kicks in, for I am certain God has placed me just were I am to be and has great things in store.  Over the coming days, weeks maybe even months God’s plan will make itself clear and a vision will emerge, I look forward to the challenges and joys that lie ahead, with two congregations who seem ready and willing to take up the baton and explore the new chapter of their lives whose first page has now been written.

Over the coming weeks when I have the time I will try and get some pictures of the churches and make up a page for each of them but for now you can find out about them if you wish at their joint website which is here.

The First Shall Be Last And The Last Shall Be First

Last night there was a Back To Church Sunday Welcome training, which raised some interesting questions.

Do we spend as much time and effort on getting the welcome right as we do the liturgy?

Do we just welcome once before the service; or four times, before the service, during the service, after the service and after Sunday?

Do those of us who go to church see ourselves as guests or hosts?

That final question, it appears to me, is the crux of it.

Come As You Are

You should be hearing a lot more of that phrase over the next 8 months, it is the slogan for this year’s Back to Church Sunday, a national initiative that has in previous years managed to generate a degree of publicity.  The basic idea is that on the last Sunday in September all those people that go to church each invite one other person who doesn’t go to church to come along.

Today Jill and I along others toddled off to Renfield St Stephen Church in Glasgow to hear more about it, it turns out it fits in quite nicely with the Leading Your Church Into Growth conference both Jill and I went to last year, and as we were told about the concept ideas were sown and some of them started to shoot as I chatted to others over lunch.

September might seem a long way off, but with Lent, Easter and the Summer between now and then the groundwork needs to be started, and by the time I had driven home the bones of a tentative plan had been formed.  Back to Church Sunday I had come to realise begins with the existing congregation, before others can be invited to come (back) to church as they are then the congregation itself needs to be Sharing their Stories and Facing up to their Fears, they need to remember what it is that draws them back to church week in week out, and be given the confidence and encouragement to issue those invitations.

Facing Fears

There is no doubt about it that the idea of asking someone from outside the Church to come to church strikes fear into many a regular church goers heart, why is that?   How can Jesus’ words ‘Do not be afraid’, be heard afresh so that fear is dissipated?

Sharing Stories

Why does the good story that got us to return or start attending church turn into a less encouraging story about the things that we find fault with in the church?  Nothing in this world is perfect, and the church certainly isn’t, but neither is it all bad, while we are far from being perfect that doesn’t mean we have nothing to offer.  Churches might be less full than they once were, but they aren’t empty either.  God is relevant in today’s world as much as ever we have stories of hope, joy and encouragement to share, and we need to share those good stories.

That’s the bones, some of it is fleshed out a bit more – for example I plan to start the sharing of stories by instead of preaching a sermon on Sunday sharing the story about Fiona someone who was instrumental in my return to church – but much of it is still just bones, so if you have any ideas or suggestions they will be more than welcome.