Our AGM coming as it does towards the end of the Church’s year is a good time for us to stop, reflect and to give thanks to God for all that we have achieved and done as a congregation over the past year. The AGM report which I hope you have all read gives a thorough review of our activities, mission and out reach. The most important thing is, however, that we have continued Sunday by Sunday and Wednesday by Wednesday to gather to give thanks and worship to God. This is part of the ‘presence’ in the community that I spoke about in my report.
We have a presence in this bit of God’s kingdom that encourages us in our welcome and inspires our hospitality. A welcome that is genuine and inclusive of all God’s people and a hospitality that seeks to nurture and enable all to find a place in this congregation.
Presence, welcome and hospitality have become for me and I hope you the words that encompass all that we believe we are called to do by God in this place. The past year has shown how we have begun to live out these three words and concepts, in practical and spiritual ways. The challenge now before us is to continue that discernment of God’s will in how we live out our presence, welcome and hospitality in the coming days and months and I ask you to pray regularly for each other as we journey forward into a new Church year and as we live out our call to be Christ lights in this place.