MandJ French sojourn

There are real questions of identity, which can be quite divisive. Some church members see their church as very much part of the Church of England – which they may remember from earlier days. So there can be demands and expectations for mostly traditional worship and hymns. Others see it as primarily an English-speaking church, and they may come from a  variety of backgrounds and traditions . They may be less dogmatic, though some are wary of ‘too much liturgy’ – as many aren’t Anglican. Quite a few members aren’t British. Indeed in some places, for many attendees, English is their second (or third!) language. And there are always some French and other nationalities who value the typical Anglican mixture and style of worship, and the openness and welcome they experience (including the normal coffee and chat after the service.) They are probably not interested in questions of ‘churchmanship’, but may want more French-language input/ The question then arises, Should the churc...

 Time presses on and we are nearly halfway through our commitment at St Peter’s. We enjoy being here, but it’s a church that has gone through a difficult time, and is still emerging from that; there are still some conflicts, and a need for healing, forgiveness and reconciliation. But there are some committed Christians here, and with the right leadership, and plenty of prayer, we hope that all shall be well.   Last Sunday was Trinity Sunday; I always enjoy the challenge of preaching on that subject – sp central to Christian faith! The congregations at the two services weren’t huge; perhaps the excellent weather , and the fact that several regulars were on holiday, contributed towards that. We’ve also started meeting with more people, and talking and praying with them; we hope we can sow some seeds of healing while we are here. The Alpha course after the main service on Sunday is drawing to a close. It seems to have been quite successful, and we’ve enjoyed being able to share...