This week I’ve been reading the latest offering from Tim Chester and Steve Timmis called Everyday Church. It’s an interesting and stimulating read which is a follow-up to Total Church and deals with the practical realities about churches being gospel-centred communities. They start with the vital question of how we reach the 40 million people in the UK who are not open to attending church as it is. That is certainly a question which the wider Christian church should be asking. There are a number of helpful and thought-provoking comments. Here’s one:
One of the common assumptions when people fail to turn up to church is that we need to improve the experience of church gatherings, the “product”. We need better music, more relevant sermons, multimedia presentations, engaging dramas. Or we need to relocate to pubs, cafes, art centres. We need cool venues with cool people and cool music. The problem with this approach is the assumption that people will come to church if the product is better. But remember that 70% of the UK population have no intention of attending a church service, and these figures are even higher among young people….Sunday morning in church is the one place where evangelism cannot take place in our generation because the lost are not there - not until we go out to connect with them where they are, where they feel comfortable, on their territory. We need to do church and mission in the context of everyday life. We must think of church as a community of people who share life, ordinary life. Read more…
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At Westminster Theological Seminary’s graduation ceremony this year an honorary doctorate was awarded to Geoff Thomas, pastor of Alfred Place Baptist Church in Aberystwyth. Geoff graduated from Westminster Seminary in 1964, and for over 40 years has pastored the same congregation.
In his address to the students, he outlined the blessings and privileges of pastoral ministry, a word that encourages all of us who labour in that calling.
There is no greater privilege than to be a pastor-preacher. In the para-church there is extraordinary fascination and vitality (but also there can be self-promotion), and you may well be drawn into some of its ministries, but consider the rich diversity and satisfaction of the work of the local minister. He teaches the Bible to all ages and states of men and women, boys and girls. He lives on to see the fruit of his ministry in their lives. He evangelizes, visits the dying, counsels, writes, organizes, goes to people’s homes, inspires, rebukes, stirs things up and cools things down, involves himself with the affairs of his congregation and denomination, attends conferences, assemblies and serves on committees. There is no richer or happier life. Its foundation is the donation of the ascended, reigning Lord who gives some pastors and teachers. Its boundaries and priorities are defined by the apostolic conviction, “We will give ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.” Its sustenance is the divine river of grace. God never puts us where he is not present and where his grace cannot keep us. God never gives graces that he does not intend to be used for his glory and the good of his people. There is a need everywhere for sensible, caring, sound and holy ministers of the new covenant. God is their all sufficiency. May you be satisfied with him and be kept by him for long, enriching lives of Christian service. Prepare for the blessedness of such a vocation by daily appropriating your great High Priest.
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Thankfully, we are entering the final phase of the PMS crisis. I hear that the number of calls to the PMS office has increased in recent days with savers inquiring about when they might receive their money. Here’s the latest update from the Administrator. It looks like the envelopes with the cheques will be falling through the letter boxes before the end of July.
I can now confirm that my application for the Scheme of Arrangement to be sanctioned by the Court will be heard next Monday, 4th July 2011. On the assumption that sanction is obtained on that day, my plans are to draw down the funding available from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (Northern Ireland) which should enable me to issue cheques to members and creditors before the end of July 2011 .
And here is the latest statement from Mr Boyd following yesterday’s court decision:
I am pleased to say that the Court has formally sanctioned the Scheme of Arrangement and that the Scheme Supervisors can now proceed to draw down the funds and issue cheques this month to members and creditors once certain pre-conditions have been satisfied. I am currently working through the pre-conditions with my legal team and will update members and creditors shortly when I have a more precise date for drawing down the funds and making distributions.
I fully understanding that awaiting the outcome of the necessary legal process surrounding the Scheme of Arrangement has been stressful for members and creditors and I would like to thank you for your patience.
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The Scottish Daily Record reports that Gilcomston South church in Aberdeen will be one of the first to leave the Church of Scotland following the decisions of this year’s General Assembly with regard to the possible opening of the ministry to couples in same-sex relationships.
Dominic Smart, the minister, is reported as saying
“This is us taking a stand against a decision we’re not happy with. It’s the strongest response a congregation can make and it’s a very serious step. But our convictions are clear. We have been discussing this for two-and-a-half years and feel our views are being compromised. However, you feel the gravity of what you are doing and it’s not something you do as a kneejerk reaction.”
The former minister of Gilcomston South was the well-known William Still, who exercised a powerful and influential ministry there for many years. Over the last 70 years, it has become one of the Kirk’s most notable evangelical congregations and Mr Smart and his congregation own the church building on Union Street.
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Last week I attended a series of information and clarification meetings held by the Administrator in Carnmoney, Newry, Ballymena and Bangor. There are four further meetings to be held after Easter in Armagh, Londonderry, Lisburn and Fisherwick.
The Administrator, Mr Arthur Boyd, has used the opportunity to describe the details of the Scheme of Arrangement and to answer questions which savers have posed. Some of the answers to these questions have been posted here. I believe that most savers have gone away from these meetings feeling reassured and confident of a good outcome.
Overall, the Scheme is well-received by the members because it promises a better and quicker outcome than the alternative of the Society going into liquidation. If liquidated, the smaller savers would receive nothing and the larger creditors would end up with at least 15% less than they are being offered.
It is crucial that all members respond to the offer before May 6th, and as someone said at one of the meetings last week, “not to put the papers behind the clock and forget about them”. So if you are a member and you haven’t voted yet, please consider getting your vote sent off before the end of this week.
At these meetings I have been able to make the point that the additional voluntary deferral option should be seriously considered by congregations who do not need immediate access to all their money. This would really be them taking a small step back in the queue and allowing smaller savers to get access to all their money immediately. I believe that this would not only benefit the smaller savers, but would counteract the negative perceptions of the church during this crisis. If enough congregations would opt for this additional deferral, the actual amount deferred could be very small (perhaps 5% or less) but would greatly benefit a large number of needy people. I encourage treasurers and members of congregational committees to think seriously about this option.
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