Pilgrim

Following a positive Local Preacher support meeting on Wednesday when it was proposed for me to progress to being on trial subject to a satisfactory trial service, I led the service this morning at a church at Swanscombe.  it was an old building and a small congregation mostly elderly folk with one young couple and one young mother (the only non white person in the congregation) who attended with her two young children Though the service flowed OK, I forgot to include the Lords Prayer.  This was because I have always linked the Lords Prayer with the intercessory prayers slot and I had delegated this to someone else.  Learning Point - I need to maintain my awareness of the service as it happens so that I can insert/adapt as required.  It remains my sole responsibility.  I felt that the start of the service was a bit stuttery on my part.  I wonder why that was as I felt I had prepared very well.  I think that having not been to the church before it was...

Today, I leld worship at Sutton at hone church a small methodist chapel near Dartford.  The service went well.  The small congregation whislt mostly older, were not afraid to take on new challenges and there was a clear sense of reverence and dedication.  it is such a shame that the congregation is so small, and I worry for the future with seemingly no youngstersf, or at least not enough. For the first time today I felt like a preacher.  i had to come up with some quick intercessory prayers and whilst presentin them was able to offer some extemporary prayer. A big plus for the church is the organist who provides real muscial leadership.  Mhy nezt outing will be ast Swanscombe where I will be preaching the sermon

This morning I led the worship at Rainham Methodist Church..   Learning points - the throat mike and my voice do not get on.  When i speak it sounds loud enough to me but the sound system appears to have difficulty picking up the frequency of my voice.  I intend to speak to Roger Barrett at GMC and do some practicing in the church with critical friends in the church to improve and solve this particular problem  Positive comments from one of my cohort on the Faith and worship course which is encouraging.  My mentor doesn't give immediate feedback.  The other comment that is made is the speed of my speaking voice.  I wonder if this is because I work in a fast paced environment, where most of my colleagues perceive me as a reflector and thoughtful and slower speaking.  It appears to be all in the perception.    Hopefully my practice will help that, i will also ask roger to provide me with a dvd copy with sound so that I can watc...

I have now given two sermons in different Churches.  I am awaiting feedback from my mentor, but I have so far received positive feedback from many people, which is encouraging.  I am out again this weekend at Rainham and have had the role of pre-service liaison.  I am creating the intercessory prayers slot.  Back soon

Hello, it has been a while since I have been here.  I have been given a mentor, and I gave my first Sermon on Sunday - 2 days ago.  It seems to have been received quite well.  I need to have finished my first assignment by next Tuesday 28th, this should not be a huge problem as part of the assignment I used in my sermon.  It has been an awful start to the year really for both Carol and myself healthwise but we push on and will try to meet every challenge that is given to us to cope with

Back again, I have officially started on my course to become a local preacher.  the last 3 weeks have been hectic.  Work continues apace.  Sadly my Uncle died of a brain haemhorrage - his funeral is tomorrow. The work on the house continues with a gas leak being the latest challenge.  I am doing the intercessory prayers again this weekend.  My theme will be the Beatitudes.  I have also adapted John 3:16 and made it relevant to Christmas.  Will chip in again after.

It has been a while since I last blogged.  I have now progressed in the journey to being placed "on note" as a local preacher.  On reflection this has not seemed to change me very much at the moment.  I am still full of questions and sometimes doubts, though these days I voice those doubts from within the very presence of God himself/herself??  Does that sound odd.  The thought that I might apply a feminine typology to God or that I can voice doubts from within God's very presence.  Of course God is not a him or a her, not in the way we understand gender.  But I have come to believe that the deliniation of a "He" in isolation to that which is God is limiting our viewpoint.  I have to concede here that the pagans have a point.  I am certain there is a feminine dimention to the Trinity.  Perhaps to be found within the Holy Spirit??  Of course, I maintain that the pagans are wrong is rejecting Jesus, who is fully human and fully God....