“How are you settling in?” is a question we have been asked quite a bit recently. Thank you all for asking. The answer is: we are doing pretty well, finding our way around and getting to know the ropes.
As it happens, arriving in the holiday season has had its advantages and disadvantages. It has been (relatively) quiet, which has given us some valuable breathing space after the move. On the other hand, all the comings and goings have meant that it's taking rather longer to put names to faces and work out what is what.
Some of you have asked about my vision for the St Ursula's or the direction I would like us to move in. It's still early days but I would suggest two headings -
1. Enrich: I am impressed by the commitment and the depth of knowledge that I have encountered. But I sense not everyone has had the chance to broaden their experience. There are, for instance, other ways of doing Bible study, of prayer and of worship that are not familiar to many. There are also other styles of modern music and worship songs that we could add to our repertoire.
To make a start, I am going to be running a series of study sessions in the autumn called “The Beauty of Holiness”. The aim is to deepen our understanding of worship: what it is, why we do and say certain things in our liturgy and how it all links with the wider life of the Church and our day-to-day discipleship. A wider knowledge of these aspects should help enrich both what we offer and what we receive. (More details elsewhere in this magazine.)
2. Refresh: This is a bit more of a challenge. Having been offered the chance to try something different, are you willing to accept it and to move on? If so, then we become the people of whom Psalm 23 speaks. A flock who hears the voice of the shepherd and who receives his words with confidence, so that they can go forward together to find fresh pasture.
My prayer for us is that we will all be led to this rich pasture and there find refreshment for our souls.
Peter