From the associate minister... 

Dear friends
Everyone: ‘How is it going?’
Me: ‘So far, so good. Only x number of weeks until Trevor gets back!’ (I am counting and looking forward to his return).

But I am also thoroughly enjoying being your associate minister. Sometimes it feels like I have jumped in at the deep end, but I am so glad that I have the deacons and you, the church family to help and support me.

It has given me joy to see everyone pulling together. We are the body of Christ, and we are working together as a body. Sometimes this has involved people rising to meet the challenge to do something new, to be brave and do something outside their comfort zone.

In our Sunday morning services it has been a blessing to hear and see God at work in the lives of so many of our church family and for us to get to know each other a bit better. Thank you to everyone who has done something new to bless the church during this season of Trevor’s sabbatical, whether that has been serving teas after the service, giving a testimony, praying or preaching or something else. When we step out and trust God in something new, we grow in our knowledge of his faithfulness and in boldness. We are all growing together.

God wants his church to grow. We see that growth in different ways:

• Depth – how we are growing in our love and knowledge of God and our love for each other.
• Impact – increasing impact on our local community, in our workplaces, schools, colleges and in our families.
• Number – people receiving the good news of the gospel and entering into life in all its fullness, with Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

It feels like we are readying ourselves for growth. In Isaiah 54:2 God said to his people:

‘Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.’

I am looking forward to seeing all that God will do over the summer.

Keep praying
Kathryn