Zetland Park Methodist Church Pastoral Letters
September 2014
Mission Statements
As always at the beginning of the each quarter my main message is in the newsletter ,Connexions, which is available separately in church from the 1st Sunday of the month. I do hope you take the time to read it - it is the way I try to make sure my four churches all get the same information which they need to hear in one common document. I know that some like trying to spot the errors which I leave in to amuse you and test how well you have read it!!!! No prizes, of course, but if it entertains some that is good by me.
As I settle down to write this I have only half a month of my Sabbatical left, and am on the point of setting off to take Emily to the Netherlands for a year to 'study abroad.' How we would have got her ready if I had not had the flexibility of being on Sabbatical I am not quite sure. I am grateful, as I suspect it she.
However, though much will be said later about my Sabbatical, suffice for now to report that it has given me time to visit many other churches and see what they are up to. In particular I loved investigating churches' Mission Statements - you know, that half sentence that tries to encapsulate what they are all about!
Now, how would you describe what our church is about in a few words? Think about it before you read on ..... now write it down - I would love to return in September to a pile of suggestions - yes, I do mean it!
Now you have completed that, read a few I came across while visiting other churches:
"Christ should be at the centre of everything we do and be the motivation for all we do."
"By all means to save some."
"To walk with Jesus, to show Christ's love and to worship God."
"Our aim is to be a Christ-centred community through worship, serving, praying, growing in faith and sharing his love with all."
Do you know our Circuit's Mission Statement? I am told it is, 'To serve Christ and make him known."
Of course, we can never encapsulate in a few words all that the church should be doing, but it is good to have a focus, a target, a challenge. So whether it is for your life or the life of the church, have a go at finding that focus in a succinct sentence and then work to bring it about!