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Please find a link to our June 2024 magazine, paper copies of which are available in our two churches.

This edition pays tribute to our friend Val Dawson, who sadly died recently. There is a review of Prayer in the Park, which took place in May and we have a preview of The Big Church Picnic which is on June 29th, again in Clarence Park. There’s also early notice of a session led by Caritas looking at disability. Plus updates on what’s happening with our various groups and organisations.

We also have this letter from Harvie…

Irrelevant, resigned and downhearted

As the days warm up, I cannot help thinking of holidays whilst preparing for services, sermons and making plans for our future walk together.

The other day I attended our Deanery Synod following a Ministerial Development training day where I had a revelation which I shared at a Wednesday service.

In my mind’s eye I saw a swimming ring fully inflated and able to do the job it was made for – keeping a swimmer afloat. Then, I saw out of the corner of my eye, an old, discarded, partially inflated, dirty swimming ring.

It started me thinking about the Church in England at the moment. Many, like the old, discarded ring, see ourselves as irrelevant and useless. This is not how we should see ourselves as we have the same power in us that was given to the early Christians at Pentecost. At the Deanery Synod I couldn’t help but feel that our Mission Community has an air of tired resignation in it. This frustrates me and prompts me to think of how we can re-energise the church within Bury.

Plug into the mains

We are in danger of no longer living the fully inflated life that God wants for His people. Rather like the tired, discarded, dirty and deflated life preserver, we are living rather tired and shabby lives. Is it any wonder that the world has problems with the message of the church when its people look so downhearted?

We need to plug in to the mains once more and recharge our faith batteries so we can become the people we are meant to be. Full of hope and love.

As we regain our confidence in the God who is the same yesterday, today and forever we will be in a much better place to become relevant to the world around us.

As I look at the two churches I have come to serve, I ask how connected are we to the people around us. We are doing many things and yet our influence is small. We need to look deep into ourselves and ask how we can become more relevant to the younger members of our parishes, and how we can share the life changing news of Jesus with them. I will be working with the ministry team and PCCs to further tease out how we can do this.

Will you be there?

I write this just a few days before the Prayer in the Park event organised by Churches Together. What a wonderful, exciting opportunity to not only re-inflate our swimming rings by communicating with our God, but also a chance to reach out to those in our local area, offering prayer and support.

Just a month later, on the 29th June, we can build on this with the Big Church Picnic. Each church within the Bury Mission Community will offer an activity to the local families, working together to make connections with those who do not yet know Christ. Will you be there? Can you play your part? Because it is in being involved and taking part that your rings will become inflated. We can then be more effective in fulfilling the task Jesus has for each of us.

Till then, keep loving our community and showing this in every way you can. Remember that Jesus loves us so much that He gave His life for us and has left the Holy Spirit as our guide.

Blessings, Harvie