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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Monday 27th February 2012

A whole day of doctrine reading on Wednesday proved what I already feared. This will be hard going! So, moving on...we had four folk from Leavesden Road Baptist Church join us for the Lent Study and they were a very welcome addition to our group. We covered a lot of ground in the hour but I hope it was beneficial. And we had cake at the end! Left over from the Coffee Morning earlier in the day (in the morning, would you believe?!) where we raised £90 for SCOPE.

I had a great day off this week; being treated to lunch at Blooms by a friend and then watching the England:Wales rugby match in the afternoon with another friend. (Yes, I do have more than one friend!) The fact that England lost was the only down-side.

But the rugby came in useful as a sermon illustration today! I also made use of the fact that it was Ash Wednesday last week. I had some palm crosses left from last year which I burnt (with difficulty, I hasten to add) and then used the ashes to make the sign of the cross on the fore-heads of those that wanted to receive it during our prayer of confession. I’ve never done anything like that before but it seemed appropriate and helpful.

I must try and remember to get a photo of our church notice board. We have a new notice containing our motto text for the year and it stands out really well. I shall have to add it to my (very long) list of things to do!

Sunday 19th February 2012

With the realisation that I am now half-way through the second year comes the reality check of just how many essays I still have to do if I am to complete the diploma by the end of July. On the plus side, I finished my Baptist History essay this week. Hurrah. The not-so-plus side has a spirituality essay and two doctrine essays to complete by 16 April...hmm...well, I shall give it my best shot.

Talking of best shots, I allowed myself the luxury of watching the whole of the second half of the Stevenage:Tottenham game this afternoon. I was having a late lunch having been to visit a lady in hospital and decided I could take an extra 20 minute or so break. Great game...unless you’re a Spurs fan...0-0 being the final result.

So, I’m trying to cut back as much as I can on church work (the church secretary does know!) so that I can study, study, study. However, if I tell you that one of my essay titles is: “Theories of divine action tend to come unstuck on the problem of theodicy. Do you agree?” you can perhaps see that this could be a bit of an uphill struggle!

We start the York course on Thursday and we’ll be meeting at the church in the hopes that the number who come will be too many to have in my front room. We may have folk from Leavesden Road Baptist Church and North Watford Methodist join us...we shall see. And we now have a cross made out of two planks of wood by one of our members, so we’re all set for the Lent Cross meditations to start next Sunday. Which reminds me, I need to order our Easter publicity materials...

Saturday 11th February 2012

It feels very strange being here in Watford on a Saturday but this week I had to go to the dentist on Thursday and see my pastoral advisor. Not sure which was the more painful! In all honesty, the former was only painful in my pocket...I remember the days when a check-up was free, ho hum...and the latter was completely painless – a welcome chance to chat. Sadly, the promise of lunch with my friend afterwards came to nothing as she was laid up with a cold. Still the “buy one get one free” voucher is valid until the end of February, so there’s still time!

Rugby’s congregation last week may have been depleted, as I mentioned, but it wasn’t as depleted as Kingswood’s! We had to cancel our service due to the ice-rink conditions on all the roads and pavements surrounding the church. At the prayer meeting this week they all smiled when I commented, “While the cat’s away....?” So we’re all looking forward to being together again tomorrow. And I’ve been well looked after with the travelling to Rugby and Oxford these past few days – the change in my routine has meant that I have avoided the worst of the snow and ice – thank you Lord.

The sponsor money for my sleep out is almost all in now and I will be able to send a cheque to Watford New Hope Trust for £130, so thank you to all who sponsored me. When I look at the weather now I am (a) glad that we had a mild night for our sleep-out and (b) reminded of the importance of the work of the Trust here in Watford and of Hope4 in Rugby. Thank you to all those who work for either organisation, in a voluntary or paid capacity – God bless you.

Sunday 5th February 2012

Our normal practice at KBC is for me not to preach on the first Sunday in the month. So for a change, I decided to take the day off completely and book a day’s holiday for the preceding Friday so that I could spend the whole weekend in Rugby. I’m feeling very relaxed now! However, the journey back down to Watford tonight looks as though it will be rather challenging – although I’m not really expecting much trouble with the M1 in spite of the snow and ice. It was good to worship with my sisters and brothers in Rugby today; however if their weather affected congregation was anything to go by, I found myself wondering just how many will have managed to gather at Kingswood – I shall find out on Tuesday.

Last Wednesday I shut myself away with my books and made a concerted effort to do nothing except my Baptist History essay. Progress was made...at the rate of about 100 words an hour progress was very slow. Only another 1500 words to go...

My college tutor is on sabbatical at the moment, so the college Principal (Rob Ellis) is taking me under his wing this term. I have my first tutorial with him tomorrow and then I see my pastoral advisor (Michael Bochenski) on Thursday...it could be a traumatic week! (For them??!!)