It is always enjoyable to get away for a break with the family and sample worship elsewhere. But I must admit that I enjoy coming home just as much. Once fully rested I itch to get back to the hustle and bustle of parish life. Most especially to the devotional life that is so enriching to the soul. For, like it or not, you just do not find ‘S. Barnabas’ style worship’ in many places these days. It makes me realise what a treasure we possess and how very, very lucky we are. We must hold onto this fact whenever the health of the Church of England- or the ignorance and hostility shown to Anglo-Catholics- threatens to depress us. The future may be far from clear, and sadly there are many (especially in the House of Bishops) who would love to condemn our worship to the dustbin of history- but at present it remains and is growing. God is with us and we flourish. What a blessing and a joy. We have an outstanding church that is friendly, inclusive, welcoming, diverse and devout. Give thanks for that daily.
Lord Jesus, thank you for our church. Thank you for the fellowship, devotion and doctrine that feeds us and makes us your people. Help us to give ourselves fully to the life of your church, that it may continue to grow in grace and truth. May we never forget how fortunate we are and rise to the challenges before us with positive attitude and hearts of love. Amen.
What a sad situation it is that the church has people who rather than pray with us, for the all the many problems that we are are facing, both in this country and world wide, choose to spend their time condemning our style of traditional worship. Perhaps a lesson could be learnt from one of your earlier blogs, when it was mentioned in one of the replies, that a “Family thet prays together, stays together” Maybe, if the Church of England prayed together, it may stand a chance of staying together. It is little wonder that so many people, although believing, choose to stay away from church.
We must count our blessings that we have churches like St Barnabas.
When I go away on holiday I always worship at St Mary’s Bathwick, and over the years I have grown to love that place and its people, but I never fail to feel that strange contrast of peace and excitement when coming back to St Barnabas. It’s a place that you just love and it loves you in return. We as a congregation should be continually thanking God for giving us this jewel and for the witness that all those who have worshipped here have given to this town these past 120 years.