Unchanging Service (February 2020)

Dear Friends

Having been tasked with finding leaders of worship for our Sunday morning Services, I had not realised how challenging the job is after volunteering to help Ted Price find people to lead us.

It is now well over a year since Tracey left us after 15 years of very persuasive ministry with her energy and leadership; she along with David Whitehead and others provided us with a modern set of buildings we could use to reach out to the wider Community of Henleaze and beyond. And through wise investment and legacies we are now in a financially secure position.

Thankfully, in joint fellowship with Thornbury URC, we have now found a new Minister, (The Revd. Neil Thorogood), to lead us in our Christian life here in Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze. Until Neil joins us this coming summer, our search goes on to find people to lead our worship on Sunday mornings.

With help from Chris Hyland, Rose Pope, and Martin Herring and others (the list is long) we have enjoyed a variety of different styles of Services, with Sermons or Reflections, which have provided us with many thought provoking challenges for the current times.

The phrase “And be thankful” comes to mind from one of our Leaders. Our form of Service has been remarkably unchanged whether we have had leaders who are Anglican, Methodist or Baptist, illustrating how much we have in common with other denominations.

We are also in a very fortunate position with our own retired Ministers (John Salsbury, Brian Woodcock, Pat Cemlyn Jones and Gordon Holmes) who have helped out when things have proved difficult.

As we know, Christians of all denominations will have to seek common ground in the years to come when confronting several forces which challenges our beliefs in a loving God as manifest through the teachings and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.
                                   
And with our Christmas and celebrations now well behind us it is important to help persuade others our lives can be truly enriched by following His path.

PS Any suggestions you may have for someone to lead Worship on a Sunday will be gratefully received by Chris Hyland or Martin Herring or me. There are many Services in June, July and August when we need to find people to lead us in our Sunday worship.

George W Neilson