'As you can see rumours of my death are greatly exagerated!'

With these words an elderly member who lives alone began to share testimony of recent events in her life.

Having missed her at a number of events in the past week and that folk had tried to raise her on the phone without success, prompted action late on Friday night when a deacon called the Manse.

Visiting her home which was in darkness, speaking to her neighbours who confessed they had not seen her all week, alarm bells started to ring. Her brother, living 20 miles away was called and he came as soon as possible armed with a key and fearing the worst.

To our great relief, but her surprise and shock, on entering her home she was in fact OK - contentedly watching t.v. although mildly annoyed at regular telephone calls all evening from callers who 'withheld their number'.

In the cold light of day and after reflection and further concern shared by others who had been alerted to the potential situation the night before, she shared he gratitude that folk were concerned for her and that God's love was evident through this and through their well meaning actions.

As we witness the horrors of the scenes in Haiti and recognise the outpouring of concern and support from nations and individuals there must be much for us to learn and reflect upon, as we seek to hear what God wants to say to us about how we respond to crisis, whether at home or abroad, in our personal lives or the lives of others.

Apart from the unexpected events of last Friday, the week has been largely uneventful. Studies for the semester have ended although one further assignment needs to be written before the month ends.

We have started to prepare for our Annual Church Meeting on 30 January when members will elect new Deacons and hear reports on the life of the church in the past year.
That we have an extra nominee seeking election to the diaconate is encouraging and will share the load carried by the existing team.

Two names will be brought to the church for membership with a further name brought to the next meeting.

One member has asked for Baptism and we've set Easter Day as the date for the Baptismal Service.

As the sun shines through the window of my study as I write this update, the future looks bright. We thank God for his care for us and look forward to all he has planned to do amongst us here in Walmer in 2010.

Winter Wonderland

The train journey to college was slow! Despite the platform information at Walmer and on-line the trains were not running to London but rather a shuttle service between Ramsgate and Ashford from where eventually it was possible to catch a stopping service to London. The long stop at Maidstone East was a further delay whilst the service was regulated and other trains passed by. Arriving in London to yet more snowflakes gently falling from the sky onto the already snow covered ground was a reminder of events of the past week when in varying amounts each day snow had fallen.
The snowman hastile built on the front steps was melting fast by Sunday morning but almost certainly snow will still be on the ground when I return home.
This is the last week of lectures for this semester and sees us rounding off our first round of modules. As is the norm with most things these days we have to fill in a questionaire for each lecturer rating our satisfaction of the teaching - content, delivery, etc., - and comment positively and negatively on aspects we wish.
With another assignment returned with a more than favourable mark there is little I wish to cooment on so am simply ticking the 'very good' boxes for everything.
The next couple of weeks will be given over to finishing two final essays due by the 1 February.
At church we are preparing for our AGM at the end of the month. Accounts are being auditted, Deacons are being nominated and joyously two names for membership will be presented to the Deacons this week.
On a practical note - snow from the church roof slid off with some force and through the roof of the garage which leaves us with a big repair bill some of which we hope the insurance company may fund.
The new year has begun... and already the challenges have been many.

Happy New Year!

As the snowflakes once again fall outside my study window I realise that it's high time I posted an update.
With college studies due to resume tomorrow and the prospect of an engineering works effected journey to London looming there is just time to post a few lines.
Christmas was celebrated well. Attendances where encouraging with visitors at every service and a relaxed atmosphere throughout as worshippers drank their 'mulled wine', ate mince pies and chose and sang their favourite carols.
Slowly we re-told the Christmas story ending this morning with the coming of the Wise Men and an opportunity to let incense fill the sanctuary as we reflected upon the gifts the travellers brought.
Doubtless the chocolate coins - the gold - have already been eaten but hopefully the frankincense and myrrh everyone received will stay in home a little longer.
Two major essays need to be written this month as the semester draws to a close so that focuses the mind a little on the Spurgeon's front.
The Church's AGM looms large at the end of the month too with reports to be written, Deacons elections to be arranged and accounts to be prepared, audited and reviewed.
As ever then there is much to do...watch this space.

48 hours to go...

Not long now before the Christmas morning service and then the opportunity to pull up the drawbridge and hibernate for a few days!

Christmas has been the all consuming focus of the last week or so in a variety of forms.

Our Christmas Dinner to raise money for 'Crisis at Christmas' was a great success. Over 40 diners tucked into traditional fayre of turkey and roast potatoes, pudding and custard and we raised £225 for a very worthy cause.

The local primary school chose to gather around the bandstand for their Carol Service this year which was a great community event and of course the children sang out the carols with great enthusiasm.

With an assignment to turn in I took a day to visit London, have lunch at Bloomsbury with the Tuesday gang, visit the college and also get a haircut (cheaper at Mr Toppers than anywhere here in town).

The end of last week saw much of the country grind to a halt because of snow but our little corner of England appeared to have missed out until early on Saturday morning when several inches of snow covered roads and houses to create the popular Victorian Christmas card scene.

Up early as usual I had completed two large and almost a dozen small 'gatepost' snowmen before the neighbours in the road threw back their curtains. The grandchildren staying at No. 6 and little Lily at No. 4 came out to lend a hand and very soon nearly every house in the road had its seasonal decoration.

Treacherous, icy roads and pavements prevented all but the faithful and perseverent worshippers joining us for our All-Age Nativity service on Sunday morning but we were able to assemble a living tableaux with all the necessary characters - Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, Angels, Wisemen and of course a doll in the crib.

To the twinkling of candles over 70 young and old brave souls slipped and slided their way into church for our Carol Service and each left glowing in the darkness with their glowstick gift in hand.

Our shut-ins have not been forgotten each getting a visit with the gift of a plant and the opportunity to have Communion if they desired.

We have also turned our thoughts to others by dedicating our Christmas collections to the work of the London City Mission which to-date exceed £200.

Christmas Eve sees us experiment with an 'It's nearly Christmas' service for families at 7pm and we of course will celebrate together on Christmas morning. (I hope to make the Midnight Service at the Parish Church too.)

As the snow melts away there will be little to prevent folk coming to celebrate Christ's birth with us. We've delivered over 1000 invites to local homes. Who will come we don't know but we are expectant...

Ssshh! It's nearly Christmas.

The word on the street is that Christmas is coming...
As I gaze across the street the bungalow twinkles with fairy lights from its roof and a flashing santa in the window. For my part the artificial tree in the porch is adorned with a small set of lights that cost 97p from the hardware store and my lovely black borbel that says 'I hate Christmas'.
The church on the other hand is getting very festive. The sanctuary windows are now all filled with Poinsettia plants, candles are ready for next week's Candlelight Carol Service and the hall is laid out ready for our Christmas Dinner tomoorow night when we have 42 diners booked to enjoy festive fare and help us raise money for 'Crisis'.
College is finished for the Christmas break although I plan to spend sometime in the library next Tuesday as part of a London day which includes Christmas lunch at Bloomsbury, a much needed haircut at Mr Toppers and some retail therapy.
Last Tuesday offered an opportunity to join friends at Bloomsbury for their annual Carol sing under the Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square with members of Crown Court Church of Scotland. For me this kick starts the 'official' start of Christmas celebrations or at least forces me to engage with the reality of the season gathering pace around me.
Here in Walmer we continue our Advent journey both on Sundays and at our studies on Thursdays exploring the theme of 'Advent Angels'.
We have delivered over 1000 invitations to our Christmas services and activities to local residents and hope some may join us over the coming weeks as we celebrate Christ's birth.
Monday sees an open-air Carol Service led by the local school for parents, children and friends at the Bandstand. It promises to be a cold, dark night - even possibly snowing - so we will need to wrap up warm to share our Christmas cheer.
A round of Christmas Communions to our shut-ins is on the agenda too for next week along with the necessary preparations for our all-age Nativity next Sunday morning and the need to find readers for the Carol Service.
As the gritter lorry passes by my window I'm prompted to think that there may be some truth in the rumour that snow is on it way but for certain Christmas is coming and I think I'm ready.

Blogging on the train again...

Now the London side of the Kent Coast line tunnels there's a window of opportunity to update the blog before the long tunnel under the Downs at Sevenoaks, so here goes...

It has been a different week having had two reflection days at college in place of the usual lectures. Monday afforded the opportunity to finalise another assignment for the Introduction to the Bible module which is now in my case ready to hand in tomorrow (a week ahead of the deadline!). Tuesday saw a structured retreat day led by Rev Ian Stackhouse of Guildford Baptist Church. These two days were punctuated by dinner at the Walters' - my London hosts - in the company of three of their friends and Will. (Will had been Bloomsbury's summer intern from the US and it was good to see him again as he spent Thanksgiving in the UK.)

Returning to Walmer we met in Church Meeting on Wednesday which was a positive time both dealing with the business of the church and also spending time refelcting on the first 'few' weeks of my Pastorate. It was very encouraging that in our though shower exercise the list of positives grew and grew on the flipchart pad whilst no-one could come up with a negastive and so we changed 'negatives' for 'aspirations' and then were able to come up with a number of suggestions.

Thursday saw a visit to one of our oldest members now confined to bed in a care home in Broadstairs. Although she may not have fully comprehended who I was or why I was visiting, she did seem pleased to have had a visit and it was good to report to the church she was OK.

Friday heralded a visit from my Spurgeons Field Placement Tutor and my Supervisor to check all was progressing well. We had a good session and hopefully another round of boxes have been ticked as the Ministerial training process continues. The day ended with time spent decorating the church for Advent before Friday Night Pizza.

Saturday saw a modest indulgance with a shopping expedition to Canterbury the nearest one can get to anything like my London retail experiences although it must be noted that on this occasion no further additions to my wardrobe were added.

Sunday, dodging hail and torrential rain to get next door to the church, saw the official beginning of Advent with the lighting of teh first candle on our advent wreath. The sermon took the form of a period of 'waiting' as we watched images on the screen of a variety of people and situations where individuals were waiting and thus reminding us that we too need to wait - wait upon God.

That was the week that was!

Last week was a hectic week which kept me away from Walmer for 4 days. The usual two study days at Spurgeon's were followed back to back with two days at Didcot to learn the inner workings of Baptist House.
A three line whip was in place for all first year BU students at the Baptist College's in South Wales, Bristol, Manchester, Oxford and London which brought together a group of around 75 ministerial candidates.
It proved a revelation that a number of the group had very limited knowledge of the way both the Union and BMS operated and the benefits that both coudl offer to churches in supporting ministry in our Baptist Churches.
The BUGB day afforded the opportunity to publically praise Graham Sparkes and his team in the Faith & Unity department for all their work especially raising public issue debates and prompting Baptist responses. It was also good to ask whether the annual Assembly format might be looked at to increase grass root participation from local churches.
BMS World Mission offered slick and 21st century presentations including two live link-ups with Missionaries in the field.
David Kerrigan did not warm to the question as to whether our 'Baptist' identity might be asserted more overtly in the mission societies title.
Many of the group noted with regret that the hospitality offered by BUGB departmental staff was almost exclusively confectionery - none of it Fairtrade - and much of it be Nestle. Not a very ethical witness!
Returning home it was good to find the local paper had chosen to report our Armistice Day remembrance in the town's cemetery and also included a photo of our recent presentation of Bibles to 60 pupils at our local school in partnership with our Anglican neighbours.
Our Advent and Christmas cards are now available for distribution and hopefully will be well used by the congregation to communicate with our community what we have planned for the next few weeks.
We rounded of the church year with Christ the King Sunday and a sermon prefaced with the National Anthem being played - it was fun to see the 'Mexican wave' ripple across the pews as the congregation responded and stood.