THE MESSENGER

       

Dear Friends

For those I have not been able to see may I take this opportunity to wish you a happy new year. 

 These last weeks have been taken up with the Covenant Services as congregations recommit themselves to God`s service. The Covenant Service is one of my favourite services although I am only coming to terms with the wording in the worship book having being schooled in what has commonly been called “the little blue book”.  Although the language and promises have changed, the sense of commitment has not.

This year promises to be an exciting year not only for our country but also for our church.  St Andrews will be hosting the Lay Witness team in October and we hope we will be joined by the section as we discover together what it is to live in God’s love. 

In dedicating ourselves to such a weekend I am sure we will discover all kinds of things about our visiting friends as well as things about each other.   We all have stories to tell and wisdom to impart and I thank God for the ways He has taught me through the stories of others. 

Whatever 2012 throws at us we are all invited to play our part, to make this a time of growth with God.

During the Covenant Services I have been using a computer presentation about the Chinese bamboo.  The bamboo has five years of being watered and cared for and nothing seems to happen and then in six months it takes off and grows to over 90 feet tall.

The message behind this is that there are natural times of growth but the process is always going on under the surface. There comes the day when the growth is seen to happen. It may feel that our discipleship is hard going but let us not be discouraged.

The apostle Paul picks up on this in his second letter to the Corinthians:
   “No, even if outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are being renewed each and every day.”

May God continue to water us with his abundant Grace and love.

Every blessing

               Colin

                                 (Revd. Colin Sherwood)