The Vicar's "Two Penn'orth"
Thoughts for the Year Ahead
It has been some time since I managed to write my vicar’s two pence! Having survived having a new knee and the unexpected complications that followed, it’s only now I can see the end in sight, although it will be some time before I am fully fit.
Spending time away from Church has been hard, not seeing everyone and being able to lead the services and just join in with the activities going on.
However thanks must go to those who have carried on the ministry of the church and especially our outreach and community work. I am reminded of the words from Hebrews 1. 6:10: “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
Continually serving others is a form of expressing our faith in and to God. When we start to grow weary in our serving, we can be reenergized in our commitment by knowing that he sees us and he will not forget.
Inevitably while I have been off sick the church has had to scale down some activities but hopefully we can get back to doing everything as before, and I am looking forward to getting fully involved again
The Christmas tree festival was wonderfully run and organised by the wardens and volunteers, it was a real privilege to just spend a short time with them when the Bishop came and I know she was very impressed.
Looking ahead it will be good to begin lent lunches and share our worship with other churches also Rev Richard will run a lent group. I am also looking forward to restarting prayers for the Ukraine in the coming weeks as we support our brothers and sisters in this terrible conflict. It will be the King’s coronation in May so no doubt we will be celebrating in some special way so watch this space! In July we have the golf open and we will again put out the golf prayer labyrinth, a reflective journey of prayer based on the open. All of these activities will need volunteers so be ready!!
The big concern for us and many other Christian communities is the terrible legacy of Covid, sadly numbers in church have decreased and somehow we all need to take responsibility and act. Over the next few months I would ask you to pray about this and what we might do to increase our numbers. One of the ways perhaps is to start seriously thinking about who each of us could encourage to come to church. Perhaps it is someone who has not been since Covid or someone new. Doing nothing is not an option - we have to go out and show people what it means to be a Christian. It’s true many find it hard to speak about faith, about Jesus, but remember it is the Good News we share, the good news of Jesus Christ.
In these times of austerity many need our love and support, many are hungry and many people cannot even afford to switch on the heating. What better place to offer than the church a warm and friendly place where Christ is at the centre of all we do. In the weeks ahead, may we all pull together to make a difference both at church and in our community and grow in faith and love.
I will finish with the words from Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Spending time away from Church has been hard, not seeing everyone and being able to lead the services and just join in with the activities going on.
However thanks must go to those who have carried on the ministry of the church and especially our outreach and community work. I am reminded of the words from Hebrews 1. 6:10: “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
Continually serving others is a form of expressing our faith in and to God. When we start to grow weary in our serving, we can be reenergized in our commitment by knowing that he sees us and he will not forget.
Inevitably while I have been off sick the church has had to scale down some activities but hopefully we can get back to doing everything as before, and I am looking forward to getting fully involved again
The Christmas tree festival was wonderfully run and organised by the wardens and volunteers, it was a real privilege to just spend a short time with them when the Bishop came and I know she was very impressed.
Looking ahead it will be good to begin lent lunches and share our worship with other churches also Rev Richard will run a lent group. I am also looking forward to restarting prayers for the Ukraine in the coming weeks as we support our brothers and sisters in this terrible conflict. It will be the King’s coronation in May so no doubt we will be celebrating in some special way so watch this space! In July we have the golf open and we will again put out the golf prayer labyrinth, a reflective journey of prayer based on the open. All of these activities will need volunteers so be ready!!
The big concern for us and many other Christian communities is the terrible legacy of Covid, sadly numbers in church have decreased and somehow we all need to take responsibility and act. Over the next few months I would ask you to pray about this and what we might do to increase our numbers. One of the ways perhaps is to start seriously thinking about who each of us could encourage to come to church. Perhaps it is someone who has not been since Covid or someone new. Doing nothing is not an option - we have to go out and show people what it means to be a Christian. It’s true many find it hard to speak about faith, about Jesus, but remember it is the Good News we share, the good news of Jesus Christ.
In these times of austerity many need our love and support, many are hungry and many people cannot even afford to switch on the heating. What better place to offer than the church a warm and friendly place where Christ is at the centre of all we do. In the weeks ahead, may we all pull together to make a difference both at church and in our community and grow in faith and love.
I will finish with the words from Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Your Friend,
Rev Paul,
Vicar of Hoylake
Rev Paul,
Vicar of Hoylake
