Letter from Rose - August & September 2014

Letter from Rose

August/September 2014

Dear Friends,

Last Sunday (20^th July) the reading set from the Gospel was that well known parable of the sower. (Matthew 11: 16-19, 25 to end)

At St Mary’s I explored the fates of the different seed, but in particular the seed that fell amongst the thorns.

As I write this letter we are in the ninth month of interregnum where we have all being working extra hard to maintain the church across the seven churches including Wolverley and Cookley and the places they serve while at the same time waiting for the formation of the new Kidderminster Ismere Team and looking for a new Team Rector.

During my sermon we thought about our position in God’s church at this moment in time with the parable of the sower in mind, and which seed we might think we are. Perhaps we may feel a little like the seed that is being choked by the weight of the ‘thorns’ of extra work?

It is so easy to give in when things get a bit tough, but let’s think about those thorns for a moment and what can happen to them.

When winter comes along they too will lose their leaves and strength and die back, then when spring comes along the seed once more is given the opportunity to sprout, to grow and bear fruit, 30, 60 or 100 times over.

I know we have all been disappointed by the fact that we have not been successful in appointing a Rector, perhaps we were not ready.

Maybe we needed a winter period first but now are at a point when we need to open the door anew to the Spirit’s working and see what God wants of us.

Whatever form the future may take, I am sure we all realize that it will not be as it was before - but I wonder if we are brave enough to embrace whatever God has in mind for us and become the ‘good soil’ where the Spirit can and will be able to work and grow the Kingdom across our seven churches and beyond.

Bishop John, our Diocesan Bishop says that ‘our churches should be communities where the Kingdom is our core conversation, where these Kingdom values (of love, compassion, justice and freedom) are evident and through which we strive to incarnate them in our communities ….. a framework in which churches might flourish and grow rather than impose a blueprint of how every church should look.’

The new Kidderminster Ismere Team has now been ‘made’ and will come into being as soon as the Clergy are relicensed and so across our new Team we have a wonderful opportunity to grow those Kingdom values but it will mean a renewed openness to the working of the Spirit and hard work supported by prayer.

Are we brave enough to move forward?

A prayer from Bishop Tom Wright praying for God’s church – for us.

‘Give us faith, good Lord, to see your kingdom at work even when the seeds seem wasted and the soil seems bare.

Thank you for the promise of the great harvest, of which your resurrection was the first fruits.’

Amen.

With every blessing for our future together,

Rose

Revd Rose Lawley

Acting Team Rector

 

From the Parish Registers

Christenings

Paula Michelle Cooper; 8^th June at St. John’s, Wolverley

Aaron Lee Meagham; 8^th June at St. John’s, Wolverley

Fraser James Brooks; 8^th June at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Carly Louise Lewis; 6^th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Jessica Daisy Sullivan; 6^th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Eric Phillip Waldron; 6^th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Ruby Louise Williamson; 13^th July at St. John’s, Wolverley

Ethan Shaun Davies; 20^th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Weddings

Luke Nicholas William Martin and Rebecca Louise Portman; 25^th May at Cookley

Jamie Luke Childs and Emma Jane Taylor; 25^th May at St. John’s, Wolverley

Matthew Alan Fidoe and Harriet Emily Smith; 30^th May at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Alexander Michael Bowman and Gemma Elizabeth White; 14^th June at Cookley

Stefan Karl Jordan and Victoria Louise Clarke; 21^st June at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Matthew Ashley Thompson and Elizabeth Charlotte Crich; 12^th July at Cookley

Simon Mark Cox and Heather Janet Neal; 18^th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Funerals

Anthony Chapman of Cookley; 2^nd May at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Brian John Jacques; 9^th June at St. John’s, Wolverley

Gillian Lynes of Wolverley; 13^th June at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Irene Richards of Cookley; 17^th June at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Leonard Thomas Mumford of Wolverley; 18^th June at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Avril Elizabeth Forrester; 19^th June at St. Peter’s, Cookley & W.F. Crematorium

Muriel Baynham of Wolverley; 9^th July at Stourbridge Crematorium

Stanley William King; 16^th July at St. John’s, Wolverley & W.F. Crematorium