News:
A new beginning!!
Steve officially left us in January 2015 but he was unwell from September 2014, so it is effectively two years since we had a leader in our Mission Community. But that will soon be changing as we prepare to welcome Steff Jeffs to be our rector; her institution being set for 14 December at Cruwys Morchard Church.
Sometimes it is said that a long vacancy is good for a church, and we may have differeing opinions about whether or not that is so! It has certainly been hard work for our churchwardens, lay leaders and administrators and we have so much to thank them for, as they have kept our Church life going during this difficult period.
But of course Christian faith is so much more than just "church life". After one of our Christianity Explored courses a few years ago, one church member said to me "I have always gone to church, but until I did this course, I had no idea that there was so much more to Christianity than just going to Church".
What this person had realised for the first time, was that what God desires for each one of us, is that we should enjoy a personal relationship with Him. That is why Jesus came "to seek and to save the lost." He said this, in the house of a rich busines man who had been sailing very close to the wind indeed in his dealings and was now determined to put things right, to repay what he had obtained by dishonesty and to follow the Lord Jesus in His ways of righteousness. You can read the story in Luke Chapter 19.
So as we prepare to welcome Steph, let us all be ready to support her as she leads, preaches and teaches amongst us. We know that Steph loves Jesus, is passionate about the Gospel and looks to the Bible as the source of her teaching and life. It is up to us to make her Ministry in the Exe Valley possible, by prayer and by having a big vision, reaching beyond our own Parish, to make Jesus known throughout the Mission Community; we know Steph will welcome such an approach.
John Roberts.