Dear Friends,

 

I'm still feeling embarrassed about something that happened to me recently. In fact, it happened on a day that you probably remember clearly: it was the day that Weston Super Mare pier was destroyed by fire.

You can probably all recall what you were doing that morning as the news came through.

What was I doing? I was in the BBC Radio Bristol studio in Bristol, just about to give my first Thought for the Day at about 8.45. As I sat and nervously waited, the studio buzzed with excitement, and all the TV monitors showed those pictures of leaping flames and billowing smoke that were to become so familiar that day. I had my talk all prepared, on the subject of the first day of the school holidays, and how to use all those days of free time; all perfectly worthy stuff, and I'd given it careful thought. But as I watched the pictures, I panicked: this was a major local disaster – yet how could I change my talk at the last moment without messing it all up? Time was so limited anyway, and I'd had to count my words exactly. So, I'm ashamed to say, that when the red light went on, paralysed by my nervousness,  I just went ahead regardless of what was happening in Weston, without changing a single word – though in retrospect, I could easily have just slipped in a sentence referring to the topic of the day, to show that at least I knew what was going on, and cared about it. But I didn't do that – I was too bothered about my pre-conceived plan about what I was going to say.

 

I knew I should have responded to what was going on, and felt bad about my failure to do so. In fact, it became a joke at home – 'don't mention the pier!', every time it came up on the news. How could I have ignored what was going on?

 

As I have thought about it since, I have wondered about whether people's perception is that the Church frequently seems to act as I did: all around us in society, there are major worries, tragedies, awful things happening, and yet there are times when Christians who ought to be responding to these crises plod on with their own agendas and priorities – agonising about gay clergy or women bishops or what kind of hymns or songs we should sing in church or whether churches should have pews or chairs – I guess everybody has their own issues that get them fired up (what's yours?). Whereas perhaps we should spend more time just listening to what is going on around us, and having the flexibility, openness and spontaneity to respond to what people's concerns really are, rather than telling them what we think they ought to hear.

 

Perhaps that's why our churches aren't always as full as we'd like them to be. But on Sunday 28^th September, 'Back to Church Sunday', we'll try to be especially welcoming to those who aren't in the habit of coming to church regularly. We'll try to show that we do listen, and do care about what is going on in the world, and what really matters to people. Do come – you will be made welcome.

And I will try to learn from my mistakes!

 

With love,

Rosey

 

 

 

'BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY' – not been in church for a while? Got out of the habit? Feeling awkward about coming back?  Don't worry – whether it's the first time ever, or the first time for ages, you can be assured of a warm welcome.

Come and bring a friend.....

Wraxall at 9.30am. Failand at 11.15am, and in the evening, a 'Celebration of Angels' for Michaelmas, with special music, hymns and readings – bring an angel!