Skip to main content

Listen carefully..... Reflections of a duty minister

Image
By
One of the joys of ministry is the diverse and rich range of conversations one has during a week.

Over the last seven days I’ve spoken to someone just back from visiting Pakistan, and another person who hasn’t stepped outside her home in months.

I’ve talked with an elderly lady in preparation for her husband’s funeral, and a young mum preparing for her daughter’s baptism, both conversations evidencing the complexity of human relationships.

I’ve been part of a meeting considering the future of a church which meets in a listed building and is struggling to fund the maintenance, and in another heard of a new fellowship forming around a kitchen table.

I’ve visited a lady in hospital showing great courage in the face of a scary diagnosis, and a gentleman whose fortitude in the light of major disability is amazing.

Today I’m going around the shops local to one of our churches, taking the church’s offer to pray for the concerns of shopkeepers and customers, and later will be meeting with people considering their vocation, the call of God on their lives.

Reflecting on each of these conversation, and more besides, I’m grateful for opportunities to speak God’s love, and hear it, to see God’s presence and show it.

And I'm reminded I need to listen carefully.....

Rev Nick
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Circuit Talents Challenge

By
"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money ..." Matthew 25:14-30 Why don't you take up the Circuit Talents Challenge by taking a £5 note and making it grow for the Circuit? More details ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The wind among the trees

By
I sat among the trees once. And a wind was blowing. Quite a strong wind; I could hear it in the trees –   rushing, rushing. A lovely sound, soothing to my ears. I stopped what I was writing and began to listen. I remembered that Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was like   the wind. You could hear it; see its effect. But you couldn’t see the wind itself. You couldn’t see   where it was coming from, nor going to. And I wondered, “Are you showing me something about your Spirit, Lord?” So I sat, and I listened, and I watched. They were big, old trees where I sat. Tall they were, in an ancient wood, well-branched,  shapely. Beech, grey bark against the clear blue of the sky. And leaves: they were leaves that knew the wind;   leaves that let the wind know them. They looked, like beach leaves look in a wind: full of life –   and with a certain beauty all their own. I watched the great crowns of those great trees. I watched the branches sway and the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

For such times as these! - A good news story from Windhill!

By
For such times as these! (Esther 14:14) On June 1st James Stannet (from e:merge , a Christian Youth organisation) began his youth work for Christchurch LEP in Windhill. He says, "Well! June has been a really busy but very productive month. On Wednesday, in the park, numbers are climbing week by week, now averaging 25. Good partnerships have been made with local organisations. this has been a blessing: enabling us to deliver varied sport activities and build good relationships.' 'The Hope Revolution, youth event, based at Christchurch LEP was a massive hit. A BIG Thank you is expressed to the Church for the support, encouragement and prayers. 200 people attended the Fun Day. Despite the rainy weather, 100 young people took part in local projects: two house clear-ups, school garden project (Windhill Primary) and running the Fun Day. 10 Christian Organisations working together resulting in several families requesting Christian children's activities.' ...
Post a Comment
Read more