Page 15 - July2023

July 2023 July 2023

FROM THE AFFPUDDLE CHURCHWARDEN

… a time to keep silence, and a time to speak

There are some months with five Sundays. July is going to be one of them. This
gives us the opportunity to worship all together in one of our benefice churches.
Opportunity is the wrong word – excuse is a better word. Some people love to get
out and go somewhere different, whereas some folk have difficulty getting to
their own church, never mind someone else’s church. So, are you driving there?
Do you have a spare seat? Do you know anyone who would appreciate a lift?
Where is there? Just see further on in this magazine and all the church services are
set out in a matrix.
But there is a lot more different in our benefice, and in our parishes. For instance,
in June I conducted a service. This was one of the new “Morning Praise” services.
Many of the congregation have commented that we don’t need a communion
service every week so, if we had a simple BCP/Morning Praise more people may
be attracted to come to the morning service. It was a challenge because,
instead of the “Sermon” slot, I was invited to host a discussion time. Well, it worked
rather well. Several of the congregation had no difficulty in offering arguments
about the main topic, and that inspired other folk to offer their comments. One of
the main conclusions was that I was somewhat mistaken by suggesting that the
church, St Laurence, Affpuddle, was crucial to inviting the Lord to dwell amongst
us. In fact, our relationship with the Lord is good outside the church in the
community centres – in the shop, in the street, in the village hall, and in
everyone’s house. I very much agree with this, I chat with the Lord whilst driving
along, whilst doing the housework, whilst getting ready for bed. Despite the
massive number of people that must be chatting with the Lord at any moment in
time, he can still respond to my needs – do you recognise or appreciate the voice
of the Lord?
There are some people who are uncomfortable with church procedures yet,
nevertheless, they know where they stand between right & wrong, between good
and evil. So, we should search for common ground. If someone doesn’t like
hymns, or someone doesn’t like kneeling for prayer, or doesn’t like formal liturgy, -
no problem. The Lord will appreciate your conversation in any form you like. The
Lord God wants your conversation in whichever way you like. So, if you are not
comfortable attending church, then talk to the Lord some other way. He will be
quite happy to talk with you any which way you like.
And we also had a “Soul Space” service in Affpuddle last month. This gave us an
opportunity to meditate, to contemplate, to listen to the Lord, … a time to keep
silence …
Mike Menzies michael.menzies@talk21.com
Church Warden, Lay Worship Leader, St Laurence Church, Affpuddle

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