St Peter & St Paul's, Ash

Ash Church Website

The Rector's Letter - November 2008

The Rectory, The Street, Ash, Nr Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 7HA       Tel: 872209

My dear friends,

As you read this, Jacquie and I have just come back from our summer (!?) holiday, winding down from the Together With God parish weekend. If you were not able to be with us, you missed a wonderful time - although we do have DVDs of the weekend if you want to catch up.

What did we do? First and foremost, I suppose, we worshipped, ate, and talked together - and some people got to know fellow travellers a lot better. We were ably led on our journey by Tim Sledge who helped us to think and to plan. We looked at all things, from how to improve our worship to designing a new church building, but our main aim was to try to find out where we should be in one year, three years and five years time. For those of us from Ash church this also included a presence in New Ash Green (whilst realising that our parish also includes the farming community and many people in Hodsoll Street) and the need to do more in the way of prayer groups and study groups. In both church groups we also faced the difficulty of so many busy people and so many claims on their time. Sunday is far from the old idea of a day of rest.

Was the weekend a success? Yes, if you allow for over 60 people at each session and well over 100 adults and many children at the Sunday service. Yes, if you think of friendships made and good food and company.

If, however, it is to be a success in five years time WE will ALL need to work at it (not 'them', but 'us'). This does not mean OUR pet schemes but a sharing of different visions - possibly having the courage to listen to other visions and to meet half way. Then, perhaps we may end up, as the weekend logo suggests, 'one people with one faith and one future'

We are where we are. We have been seeking God's guidance in where we should be. We cannot get there in one great jump - but we must make a start. Let us walk together, one step at a time. Then - where will we be in five years...?

I suggest that that is up to God - AND US,

Yours very sincerely,

John A Peal

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