A Pause for Flourishing
As we approach Christmas our minds may turn to ‘resources’ - what do we need, what do our family and friends need, and our neighbours? Also maybe what our church needs or perhaps our neighbouring churches, maybe those within ‘our’ Resource Area, or wider?
Over recent years we, as Synod, have been introducing Resource Areas with the aim of being able to ’share’ our resources with our partner churches. I know this is developing in several areas and in different ways and hope and pray that successes and failures will be shared to enable others to benefit from experiences gained.
By the time this is published members of Synod Council, Synod Trust and the staff team will have met to consider future strategy and explore what else can be done by way of support and sharing. The theme / aim for the day is: ‘how do we enable “flourishing" in the churches?’.
This will take some time to develop, so what can be done now? And what is available already in Synod for the churches?
On Remembrance Sunday afternoon I attended a special service at St Andrew’s URC, Chesterfield when, at the end of the service, an award was presented recognising the church as a Children and Youth Friendly Church. If your church is interested in joining this scheme, then contact our Children & Youth Development Officer Richard Knott.
Have a mission project in mind? We have a Mission Fund that might be able to help. Support for the development of the project can be sought from Tom Donoghue, our Mission Development Officer.
Planning to explore your personal discipleship, or that of your church? Grants are available from the Discipleship Development Fund: to find out more, contact our Training & Development Officer Derek Graham.
A year ago Synod introduced (with funding supported by the Trust) an Energy Support Scheme: application information is on the Synod web site and this and other help can be seen on the Resources page.
As I conclude writing this reflection on the evening of Remembrance Sunday, the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance is playing alongside me in catch-up on my computer screen and it has reached the time of silence.
In our busy lives, maybe we should allow ourselves times of silence: not only and rightly to reflect and remember, but also to think ahead and maybe consider how we and our churches might be able to flourish - and what part we can play in this!
“The blessing of the turning tides,
The blessing of the young crow calling,
The blessing of the sun and moon,
The blessing of the early morning,
The blessing of the autumn leaves,
The blessing of the pilgrim way,
The blessing of love and life and death,
Be ours today and every day.”
by Ruth Burgess, a member of the Iona Community