Our diocesan vision is to grow as Kingdom People, sharing the good news of Jesus’ love in Worcestershire and Dudley.
Bishop John began his Lent appeal by commenting that Lent seems to have been going on for a very long time. How true. Being confined to our homes, unable to meet and minister to one another in person. Well, it has been quite a “wilderness” time.
We have witnessed many acts of kindness and compassion by people who would never profess to be Christians yet who are following the example set by Jesus Christ.
We have certainly seen God at work in our communities throughout this pandemic. As we ourselves seek to be a Christian presence in our community, how might we engage with the legacy of this when we emerge from these restrictions? Perhaps it’s useful to remind ourselves of our Kingdom People vision.
For me, personally, at the very beginning of my ministry in the United Benefice of Stoke Prior, Upton Warren and Wychbold, it’s been a focus of prayer for the future. In our Benefice, there’s a deep sense of gratitude for what has gone before, and a growing sense of hope for what lies ahead as we become part of the Bromsgrove family of churches. Because being together, there is mutual support, the chance to share experiences, resources and encouragement to discern God’s vision as to how our churches can be healthy and sustainable.
So as we follow the pattern of Jesus’ journey through Lent, let’s pray that we may all receive assurance from God that we are love and affirmed in our own ministries, both lay and ordained; pray that we will discover God’s vision for our future and not be tempted follow our own agenda; and pray that we will, at last, be filled with Easter joy - inspired and empowered to be Kingdom People in the place where God has called us to be.
