Ministers Message for Church Gazette
September 2019
“Another year over, and a new one’s just begun!”
Dear Friends,
I know it’s not Christmas quite yet, but for we Methodist folk September marks the turn of the new connexional year. Across the country, ministers who have moved over the summer are starting new chapters in ministry and along with their families are beginning new seasons in schools, workplaces and communities. Please pray for them, and the communities they will be serving as they all travel through this time of change and transition. In particular, please pray for Frank Okai-Sam, wife Patience, and their family as the move into our circuit and Frank begins ministry in Southwick and Storrington.
In some ways it seems like yesterday it was me beginning a new season of ministry, and in others it feels like it has been a long time. In part because we have already achieved much together over the last year.
We’ve spent time reflecting on our vision as a Christian community and have completed the first part of that process, we’ve begun to discern the next phase of property developments, we’ve continued to develop our worship and deepen our spirituality, we’ve welcomed new people into our community.
Looking forwards, among many other things we’re beginning to have further conversations about how we engage in mission, outreach and seek to be a welcoming invitational community.
Among the following pages, you will find the first of what will be 4 articles which begin to explore the 4 aspects of our new vision statement. So this month we explore the first and central part – ‘Journeying with God’.
Elsewhere, you will also find the first of what I hope will be a series of articles called ‘What’s your story’. Each month we’ll hear from people in our community sharing something of how God has shaped them and is working in their lives today. I hope we will all find these contributions invaluable as we learn more about each other and how God is working among us all.
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.†says Paul (Romans 8:38-39).
Let each and every one of us, wherever we are reading these words, know God in his love is working and moving among all of us and nothing can ever separate us from that deep and unceasing love.
In Christ,
Rev Dan
Tel: 01243 823895
Dan.balsdon@methodist.org.uk