Jane Robson, previously a member of our church, is currently training for the ministry at Regent's Park College, Oxford, and is working with Kingswood Baptist Church, Watford. Keep up with Jane's news here.

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Sunday 23rd January 2011

I had a lovely surprise today when I recognised the three extra people in the congregation this morning as Brenda, Mary and Joan – playing hookey from RBC – and boosting our numbers. They also took me out for lunch, so they’re welcome anytime...as are any of you who’d like to try a rather more intimate worship experience! Last week I preached at the local Anglican church and despite starting with a rather dubious tale, they said they’d have me back. It went something like this...

An Anglican vicar meets three Baptist deacons one day on the golf course and invites them to come to his church one Sunday and not too many weeks later and just as services are starting, they show up. Attendance was good in the small Anglican Church and there wasn't a pew available. In fact several church members were already seated on folding chairs. When the minister, just starting the service, saw the three Baptists enter, he leaned down from the pulpit and whispered to the nearest steward, "Please get three chairs for my Baptist friends in the back." The steward, a little hard of hearing, leaned closer and said, "I beg your pardon?” "Get three chairs for my Baptist friends," repeated the minister. The steward strained closer with a puzzled look still on his face. Once more the minister tried, speaking slowly and distinctly. "Three chairs. For the Baptists," he enunciated. The steward's face lit up in comprehension, and he turned to face the congregation. "All right, everybody," he called out to the assembled worshippers. "Three cheers for the Baptists!"

And on that note I move on...I managed to get a photo of my flat-mates + 1 last week, so thought you might like a look. From left to right: Vanessa is in her second year and is at Didcot; Ann is my room-mate who has a six-month placement at Amersham Baptist/URC (interesting!); Lynn is in her final year and has been at Burford but is looking to settle elsewhere and Jennie is also in her final year. (Lynn is the ‘interloper’).

Tomorrow we are thinking about “Deliverance and Healing Ministries” with Nigel Wright, Principal of Spurgeon’s College – should be interesting, to say the least. Will let you know more next week (and also which church Jennie is at/going to!)

Friday 14th January 2011

Any ideas for a name for our Sunday School? Yes, we had two children last week and so I had chance to do some craft with Harvey and Frankie during the sermon...at last, praise God! Please keep praying, and not just for more children, but for leaders! And we had 13 in the congregation – a record to date. Very encouraging. But I think I might be going Anglican in the evenings. Last Sunday was the monthly prayer meeting for “Christians Across Watford” and it was held in St. Luke’s Church – and while I was looking at their web site for directions I noticed they have a Sunday evening service...every week! I ‘liked’ what I saw when I was there, so will try them out, I think. This is a picture of them (morning congregation, I guess!) I’ll let you know how I get on.

The essays have been handed in, you’ll be pleased to hear. However, another two (at least) are looming – no details yet so I’ll say no more, for now!

Our first gathering at college this week was an opportunity to share in a service of thanksgiving and remembrance for Paul Beesley. I was particularly impressed with the way we were led in prayer and with the message Rob Ellis, our Principal, gave. As you can imagine, it wasn’t easy but Rob very sensitively helped us to acknowledge all the different emotions that such an untimely death brings. And then we spent the week (Monday pm to Thursday lunch-time) looking at “Church in the Community” and visited Headington Baptist Church; The King’s Centre, Oxford and Haddenham-cum-Dinton Baptist Church. (If anyone thinks Rugby has problems with being a listed building, they need to talk to Carol Murray who’s the minister at Haddenham!) These all have different ways of being church in the community and provided us with a lot of things to think about. We also heard from the leader of a church plant on the Blackbird Leys estate – very inspiring if challenging.

So, it’s back into the routine now of college and church for the next few weeks.

Wednesday 5th January 2011

If I might share with you a moment of domestic smugness to start the first blog of the new year...the sun shone this morning so I decided to get the washing on so I could hang it out on the line – which I did. And then I noticed the pressure dropping on the barometer in the hall-way (belongs to my landlord) so kept my eye on the weather and five minutes before it started to rain I brought my, almost dry, washing in to air in the dining room. Hah! Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together!?! If only everything was that simple...

Which moves me nicely, or not so nicely, onto the subject of something not so simple: those annoying essays. However, the end is in sight (for these two anyhow) and I only have another 500 words to write (out of a total of 6500). I’m currently waiting for some feedback from an illustrious team of intellectuals (no, I won’t tell you to whom I’m referring – they know who they are!!) and then come Monday it’ll be too late to do any more. And I’ll give you all a break, for a few weeks at least, from going on and on and on...

Our covenant and communion service here at Kingswood last Sunday got me well and truly back into the swing of Sunday worship planning. And I didn’t give them an easy time with the singing, carrying on almost where I left off last year, with another new song (for them) of “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise”. That makes four new songs now – we’re going to need a service soon where we sing all the new songs again so we don’t forget them. Our motto text is: “The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love” Psalm 147:11 (NIV)

This week is my “Sunday off” but hopefully I’ll be taking the Sunday School – please pray that there is one (I’ve prepared about eight weeks’ worth of material now that’s not been needed). And college starts again on Monday – a four-day week looking at ‘Church and the Community”.