1 Minister's Message

SHALOM!

The summer season, and all the sunshine and holidaying that accompanied it are nearly ended. The time has now drawn much nearer for us to reflect on or share the richness of our stories and experiences of the season and, maybe, count the cost of it as well! Now come September, schools, colleges and universities are gearing up for a fresh new start. Parents running up and down finding funding and ensuring that they have provided the correct uniforms and scholastic materials to their children in readiness for the new start. Meanwhile, in between their excitements for the new start, both the scholars and pedagogues are not exactly sure of what to expect in the way of challenges as they meet new faces. If one said September was a hectic month, the British churches could not disagree since it is also within the same month that most churches “fill up” again after two months of empty pews and chairs! This period of “new beginnings” offers the perfect opportunity for new relationships and friendships to develop. I hope all of us will have a smooth new start with the coming of the autumn.

For me, the autumn this year sees the start of my Sabbatical. In answer to one young person who asked me as to what “Sabbatical” meant, I said it was “a relatively longer time-off from one’s routine work (occupation) – a time of finding relaxation and refreshment from doing something completely different.” Yes, from the first week of October I will spend at least eight weeks at Westminster Theological College, Cambridge, learning (under supervision) new approaches, methods and tools for doing Pastoral Ministry. At first one is tempted to think

that a sabbatical is just a period of doing nothing; but clearly, following “A Guided Programme of Graduate-level Study in the Methods and Themes of Pastoral Theology” doesn’t sound like doing nothing! Pray with me that all goes well, and that the new circles of friendship and fellowship that will come my way there may enrich my on-going

ministry.

In light of the foregoing, please, join me in thanking God that my senior brother in the service of Christ, the Revd. Peter Grimshaw, has take up the challenge of providing @cover’ for me (i.e. be contacted) in the event that an emergency situation arises with any member of the Joint Pastorate, which situation requires the immediate attention of a Minister. Who else would I have turned to in this dire scarcity of Ministers in the surrounding areas? I personally feel indebted to Peter for his unparalleled humility in ‘covering’ me in spite of his own crowded schedule during this time when he is Interim Moderator to Christ Church Henley. I would urge the elders from both Windsor and Maidenhead to be more vigilant in offering their pastoral oversight, and in ensuring that Peter is only contacted when he really, really must be contacted! Meanwhile, I must register my gratitude to all the lay and ordained Ministers who will be taking our Sunday services during my Sabbatical. As we all know (or should have known by now), in all that we do and achieve in our lives, the glory must belong to the Lord from whom comes our reward. God bless you all. Revd. Owiñy Labèr

West Street Maidenhead

http://www.maidenheadurc.org.uk

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