So much has changed in the comings and goings of The Green
family since last I blogged just over a month ago.
The ‘goings’ included a ‘final’ Sunday at South Street: Yeovil, on which we were shown so much kindness and goodwill. I will always treasure the beautiful green stole presented to me by the church family at morning service – alongside the book of photographs by Junior Church.
The very next day Rachel and I hardly had time to catch our breath before driving up to Amersham where we spent the week settling into the Manse. The house had been prepared for us from tip to toe and it was super to be greeted by both the church secretary and treasurer upon our arrival.
The ‘comings’ over these last few weeks have been many and various. We now know where to park when shopping in High Wycombe and Jonty and I can repeat by rote the order of the stations on the Tube between Amersham and Baker Street!
Two significant moments for us over the last month were being received into membership at Amersham Free Church on 28th October and my Induction as Minister last Saturday, the 17th.
The Induction service, for me, provided a unique blending of my past and present as folk from all of my previous four pastorates collided together (happily I hope!) that afternoon. Sometimes I had to do a double take in trying to place them in churches 1, 2, 3 or 4! It was an absolute delight to share this time together and the photograph accompanying this blog shows me with three church secretaries from some of those congregations (what do you call a collection of church secretaries? – answers on a postcard!!)
After waving off our Induction guests – and I’m grateful to friends like Ruth for preaching and Ivor for reading – what happens next? Well in a sense it’s only then that the real work starts. So it was a special joy to turn up to church on Sunday and see such a fine congregation and have the privilege of preaching my first sermon as Minister of Amersham Free Church. For me Sunday was just as important as Saturday last weekend.
The ‘goings’ included a ‘final’ Sunday at South Street: Yeovil, on which we were shown so much kindness and goodwill. I will always treasure the beautiful green stole presented to me by the church family at morning service – alongside the book of photographs by Junior Church.
The very next day Rachel and I hardly had time to catch our breath before driving up to Amersham where we spent the week settling into the Manse. The house had been prepared for us from tip to toe and it was super to be greeted by both the church secretary and treasurer upon our arrival.
The ‘comings’ over these last few weeks have been many and various. We now know where to park when shopping in High Wycombe and Jonty and I can repeat by rote the order of the stations on the Tube between Amersham and Baker Street!
Two significant moments for us over the last month were being received into membership at Amersham Free Church on 28th October and my Induction as Minister last Saturday, the 17th.
The Induction service, for me, provided a unique blending of my past and present as folk from all of my previous four pastorates collided together (happily I hope!) that afternoon. Sometimes I had to do a double take in trying to place them in churches 1, 2, 3 or 4! It was an absolute delight to share this time together and the photograph accompanying this blog shows me with three church secretaries from some of those congregations (what do you call a collection of church secretaries? – answers on a postcard!!)
After waving off our Induction guests – and I’m grateful to friends like Ruth for preaching and Ivor for reading – what happens next? Well in a sense it’s only then that the real work starts. So it was a special joy to turn up to church on Sunday and see such a fine congregation and have the privilege of preaching my first sermon as Minister of Amersham Free Church. For me Sunday was just as important as Saturday last weekend.
So – one of the biggest changes of our lives has taken place
and step by step it’s felt as if God has been graciously walking beside us –
making himself known, as he so often does, in the smile of friends, the support
of family and the welcome offered by new companions on The Way.
With best wishes,
With best wishes,
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