Flowing river of love, on which we are carried,
taking us to places of renewal and refreshment;
we pray for the courage to trust the direction in which you take us.
For all the sights we have seen, all the stories we can tell;
we smile at your great skill and give thanks.
As we strain to see what lies around the corner,
may we also know when to set the oars of our boat at rest.
And when we have drifted enough to understand your direction;
and more fully appreciated the view of both shore and sky line;
may our energy meet with the current and carry us on.
In your love, in your way, in your creation.
Amen
Copyright Richard Bittleston 2012
(used in URC 40th Anniversary Celebration)
Saturday, 27 October 2012
Friday, 17 August 2012
The recent Church Meeting
The recent Church Meeting made its call for Richard to extend his ministry for a second term of five years. However the consensus was not as high as Richard would have wished. He said in 'Trinity Matters', his email to 60 or so who have subscribed, "As a minister who has had a lot of experience moderating calls to ministry – it is my practice to review situations where a call falls below 2/3rds of the congregation with care."
It is important to understand where the reservations are - when a significant number of people feel unsure. I would be very wary if any minister felt that they couldn’t address such reservations in a positive way.
I am grateful to the Methodist District, the Circuit, my CiA colleagues; to so many of you and especially to my URC Synod friends in helping me here. You have all given lots of time and energy so that we can reach a place where we know the Spirit has informed us. In the end, I thank my Dad most of all as his professional skills as a mentor (he’s good like that) gave me the advice that has cut the clearest path.
So much that has happened in this first full time ministry that has been a learning process. Mistakes have been made, lessons learned – these also inform the nature of call. Good things have also emerged – good enough to say
I gratefully accept this call, but am mindful that it needs to be reviewed. I would like Trinity to work with me here. I offer one additional year. If it feels right to extend this ministry beyond this, we will reach that decision together."
It is important to understand where the reservations are - when a significant number of people feel unsure. I would be very wary if any minister felt that they couldn’t address such reservations in a positive way.
I am grateful to the Methodist District, the Circuit, my CiA colleagues; to so many of you and especially to my URC Synod friends in helping me here. You have all given lots of time and energy so that we can reach a place where we know the Spirit has informed us. In the end, I thank my Dad most of all as his professional skills as a mentor (he’s good like that) gave me the advice that has cut the clearest path.
So much that has happened in this first full time ministry that has been a learning process. Mistakes have been made, lessons learned – these also inform the nature of call. Good things have also emerged – good enough to say
I gratefully accept this call, but am mindful that it needs to be reviewed. I would like Trinity to work with me here. I offer one additional year. If it feels right to extend this ministry beyond this, we will reach that decision together."
Sunday, 17 June 2012
Seeing with our Father's Eyes
The preacher got us to close our eyes and said imagine a beautiful place you would like to be. I imagined a sort of south sea paradise. he asked afterwards how many people imagined a scene with peple. Only one person had. He said in God's eyes that beautiful place is full of people.
Sunday, 27 May 2012
Pentecost - Led by the Uniformed Groups
The Uniformed organisations ( Scouts, Guides, Cubs and Beavers ) led
this mornings Pentecost service at Trinity. The bit I liked most was a
song called "Thank you Lord." The one that has the chorus "Hallelujah
Praise the Lord"
Each Beaver had drawn a picture about what they were thankful for. It went on and on and on as they had more and more thankyou pictures. They all had a turn. We laughed when each new verse started. It went on so long.
Each Beaver had drawn a picture about what they were thankful for. It went on and on and on as they had more and more thankyou pictures. They all had a turn. We laughed when each new verse started. It went on so long.
Friday, 16 March 2012
Alan’s thanksgiving service
Alan was a remarkable man and his talents were many and varied. He must have been a joy to teach with his enquiring mind and application to detail and hard work. It is no wonder he became Head Boy at school and a Music Scholar at Oxford University.
His interests were far ranging from Science to Music to Football. He worked in Physics and then teaching, en route tobeing engaged in education at the highest level. His contribution to the latter earned him an OBE.
In his early twenties, with a beautiful tenor voice. he was looking for a partner to sing duets with; and this is when Christine came into his life.
Later lsobel and Ian entered the scene and when they were teenagers and Alan was Principal of Paddington College the family moved to Abingdon. It was a full life for them; Alan had a daily trek from Didcot to London and back, so evenings were short and busy, but they had already settled at Trinity Church having a firm Congregationa/URC background. Obviously they gravitated to the Choir!
When retirement came Alan's energies were poured into Trinity and the Church in Abingdon. Alan was a great inspiration and the wide reaching success of 'Abingdon Alive' was partly powered by Alan, then secretary of the CiA. His energies benefited Trinity in many ways. He organised Home Study Groups; was an Elder; hosted, with Christine, numerous parties for the Choir and the visiting 'Ginger Group' of young people. He became Church Secretary and in that role kept a firm hand on Church Meetings, Committees, notice boards, weekly notice sheets and, dare I say it, even our Ministers.
He wrote numerous letters, especially to visiting preachers during Interregnums, all meticulously handwritten as the art of computers hadn't quite reached him. With Isobel's and her family's help he didn't feel the need of such technology. They had moved to North Leigh some time before and he revelled in his garden and the nearness of Isobel, her husband David and their three sons.
But increasing immobility due to arthritis was taking its toll, and he became more dependent on Christine for transport and on Church Members to help inside the church. But all this did not stop him from taking a very keen interest in the details of life at Trinity. He still had his finger on the pulse. Even if his trips to watch Southampton Football Club play had ceased, his trips to Concerts and Covent Garden had not. It was in preparing to go to one of those that he had a stroke.
Alan's faith was steadfast, but not inflexible. He was a seeker after truth and a stickler for detail. Trinity was greatly blessed by Alan being among us.
His interests were far ranging from Science to Music to Football. He worked in Physics and then teaching, en route tobeing engaged in education at the highest level. His contribution to the latter earned him an OBE.
In his early twenties, with a beautiful tenor voice. he was looking for a partner to sing duets with; and this is when Christine came into his life.
Later lsobel and Ian entered the scene and when they were teenagers and Alan was Principal of Paddington College the family moved to Abingdon. It was a full life for them; Alan had a daily trek from Didcot to London and back, so evenings were short and busy, but they had already settled at Trinity Church having a firm Congregationa/URC background. Obviously they gravitated to the Choir!
When retirement came Alan's energies were poured into Trinity and the Church in Abingdon. Alan was a great inspiration and the wide reaching success of 'Abingdon Alive' was partly powered by Alan, then secretary of the CiA. His energies benefited Trinity in many ways. He organised Home Study Groups; was an Elder; hosted, with Christine, numerous parties for the Choir and the visiting 'Ginger Group' of young people. He became Church Secretary and in that role kept a firm hand on Church Meetings, Committees, notice boards, weekly notice sheets and, dare I say it, even our Ministers.
He wrote numerous letters, especially to visiting preachers during Interregnums, all meticulously handwritten as the art of computers hadn't quite reached him. With Isobel's and her family's help he didn't feel the need of such technology. They had moved to North Leigh some time before and he revelled in his garden and the nearness of Isobel, her husband David and their three sons.
But increasing immobility due to arthritis was taking its toll, and he became more dependent on Christine for transport and on Church Members to help inside the church. But all this did not stop him from taking a very keen interest in the details of life at Trinity. He still had his finger on the pulse. Even if his trips to watch Southampton Football Club play had ceased, his trips to Concerts and Covent Garden had not. It was in preparing to go to one of those that he had a stroke.
Alan's faith was steadfast, but not inflexible. He was a seeker after truth and a stickler for detail. Trinity was greatly blessed by Alan being among us.
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Freedom
Preacher spoke on freedom and all the gods that can keep us captive ...
money, sex, power, TV, (internet), religious legalism. The list can go
on. But he said by following them we become enslaved. Following God is
freedom as not slaves but family....
Friday, 4 November 2011
Vain Words
My brother has written a book for kindle so I downloaded a kindle
reader and read his book. Then I went on to look for other books. John
Wesley's diaries were under £1 so I got them too and started to read and
was suprised what a good read they are. On a boat to America Wesley
realises despite all his Christian piety that he is afraid to die, and
compares that with some German Christians who seem ready and full of
faith. He asks their pastor about the contrast ...
The pastor responded, “I must first ask you one or two questions. Have you the witness within yourself? Does the Spirit of God bear witness with your spirit, that you are a child of God?
Wesley was suprised and did not know what to answer. The Pastor noticing it asked "Do you know Jesus Christ?”"
Wesley paused and then answered, “I know he is the Saviour of the world.”
To which the pastor replied, “True. But do you know he has saved you?”
Wesley responded, “I hope he has died to save me.”
Wesley writes in his journal afterwards, “I fear they were vain words.”
The pastor responded, “I must first ask you one or two questions. Have you the witness within yourself? Does the Spirit of God bear witness with your spirit, that you are a child of God?
Wesley was suprised and did not know what to answer. The Pastor noticing it asked "Do you know Jesus Christ?”"
Wesley paused and then answered, “I know he is the Saviour of the world.”
To which the pastor replied, “True. But do you know he has saved you?”
Wesley responded, “I hope he has died to save me.”
Wesley writes in his journal afterwards, “I fear they were vain words.”
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