From the Minister
Dear Friends,
Time is moving very swiftly now towards my retirement dates of 30th April (final service) and 5th May (actual retirement). I allocated the additional five days after my final service for clearing up and suspect I may have been over-optimistic. I look at my Study and then quickly look away again……
Many of you may be wondering what actually happens when a Minister moves on? What will church life be like? Who will be leading the church services? How long before we get another Minister? How does the process of calling a new Minister work?
SUNDAY 5th MARCH (12noon-1pm) will be my final Church Meeting and I would very much appreciate the opportunity to share with as many of you as possible, the procedures and plans for the forthcoming vacancy. If ever there is a time for the church membership to come together as a whole and re-commit to keeping this church alive and moving forward, it is through a ministerial vacancy. And although I have used the term “church membership,” our Church Meetings also welcome and include friends and regular attendees who have a commitment to St John’s URC without the formality of actual church membership.
In a ministerial vacancy, we learn what it is to be part of the United Reformed Church, where each local church is what YOU (members and friends) under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, choose to make it. Many congregations have truly found this to be an inspiring and empowering time as even the most “unlikely” people find their voice and their vocation, enabling the church to thrive in ways which would once have seemed impossible.
My hope and prayer is that this will be the case with St John’s; that you will move forward in faith, commitment, fellowship and enthusiasm, presenting any prospective minister with an inspiring and appealing profile of church life. So please assist me in starting you off on SUNDAY MARCH 5TH 12noon-1pm.
With love and good wishes to you all,
Jennifer
