Inter Semester Break!

Well, this is the official break between the two semesters of the college year. We have a week off! Of course the reality is there are always things to do and this week is no different but first a recap on the last few days.

We had our Church AGM on Saturday. The idea of having a coffee hour beforehand proved popular and by the start of the meeting we had assembled over 25 members and friends to receive the reports of the church, elect deacons and do all the usual things required at an AGM.

My report to the AGM is posted elsewhere on the church's website for you to read. We heard from the Treasurer that we had over spent a little in 2009 but with all the additional costs refurbishing The Manse, loss of Bank Interest and also paying the share of my Half-Stipend this was not unexpected. Weekly giving was rising slowly and if we remain careful with expenditure in 2010 we should survive the year.

Encouragingly, we received reports on the visits to two folk seeking membership and they were duly approved - we welcome Liz and Roger formally at our Communion service in February. Alan Cook (retired London City Missionary) was nominated for the diaconate along with two retiring deacons so our leadership team has now grown to 5 plus me. These, I trust, are the first green shoots of growth we have been praying for. We've also got a candidate for Baptism and we hope to have a Baptismal Service on Easter Day.

Following the AGM I dashed for a train and then a bus to attend the South Easter Baptist Association Celebration held at Tenterden Baptist Church. Travel connections meant I slipped into my seat in the gallery just after the beginning 'like an angel descending' I think Jonathan Edwards (BUGB Gen. Sec.) later described it when we chatted over tea. It was good to represent Walmer and rub shoulders with some old friends and tell them what was going on.

Sunday was Education Sunday and we seized the opportunity to invite the Headteacher of our local primary school to come and share her reflections on 'Faith based education in the 21st century'. She was an excellent speaker and gave us much to think about as we seek to support the school and its community in sharing the Good News with the young people of Walmer.

As I write this I am starting to turn my mind to the meeting tomorrow morning with the architect and contractors who will start work on the spire very soon. It will be good to get this long-awaited work underway. (I've pledged to the church that I'll climb the scaffold to put the re-gilded weathervane on top if the workmen will let me!!)

Our Knitters for the Needy group meets tomorrow for the first time since my appeal letter was printed in the local paper. We've already had wool donated and I bumped into a lady yesterday who said she'd like to come along. It will be great to see this group grow and build bridges between the church and the community.

I've booked my place at the Baptist Assembly in Plymouth (as well as also sorting accommodation for Bloomsbury's Team too!) and all the flights and hotels are booked and paid for for the Baptist World Alliance Congress in Honolulu at the end of July.

Studies resume on Monday with new lectures for the second semester and doubtless a new list of assignments that will need to be written so after this brief break the journey continues...