July/August Newsletter
Dear
All,
I
have just returned from Ministers’ Summer School in Leeds. Apart from the
beautiful surroundings of Hinsley Hall gardens, it was also a joy to get
together with colleagues from across the Synod (yes I know Leeds isn’t in
the West Midlands, but our usual retreat house is being refurbished.) I am
continually heartened by the fact that the URC is a close family; we are small
as a denomination and this has many attractions, not least, a sense of purpose
and commitment to which we can all identify.
One
of our speakers was Revd. Reberta Rominger who is the General Secretary of the
URC. In one session, she and Revd. Martyn Atkins, her equivalent in the
Methodist Church, held a dialogue outlining what the two denominations do
together at the highest level. In the next session, Roberta spoke of what the
URC plans to do on its own. This includes a nation-wide publicity campaign,
telling the country who we are and what we stand for. You may think this is
contrary to our commitment to work with our ecumenical colleagues, but, in
fact, until the URC – and that’s you and me – can tell others what the
URC is all about, then we cannot enter into meaningful dialogue with other
denominations. We would always be the weaker partner, not only in numbers but
in ideology.
I
must admit, after Roberta’s second session, where she left us in suspense,
not being allowed to share any details of the publicity campaign (due to be
launched in Sept. 2011) we were all fired up and full of hope for the future.
Sometimes our churches are so busy working at their own agendas, mission and
outreach that we forget to look around us and note that we ARE part of a wider
family. Here in Cheltenham, that family consists of three relatives and we
should support and celebrate each other’s gifts. I give God thanks for you
all.
Yours
in Christ,
Maz