I want to do something very un-English today. I want to celebrate ourselves on the church’s birthday. This week has felt like an opening up. It is not the moment to celebrate the end of the pandemic, but it may well be a moment to stand back and give thanks. We are also on the eve of our Annual Parochial Church Meeting when we say thank you and goodbye to some of those who have served us on the PCC or as churchwardens and welcome newcomers. So let’s celebrate!
Firstly, we are still here! In the first dark days when we faced the fact that most of our income had dried up, we would have been very grateful for an insight into this moment. Let’s give thanks to our clergy team, led by Sam, SMITFL led by Ally until very recently, the Trust led by Katy and the PCC headed by Chris and Catherine.
Secondly, amazingly, we have had the courage to grow. We have an online congregation that adds to our richness and capacity. The Being With course has been disseminated to many groups and our lent course had more participants than ever before. The Nazareth Community has flourished and HeartEdge has grown faster than we would have thought possible. I heard this week that we had been thanked for producing the music for the Church of England during lockdown. Let’s give thanks to Andrew and all who are involved in making St Martin’s sing.
Thirdly we are looking to the future. We have a new CEO for SMITFL; after tomorrow we will have new churchwardens and some new members of the PCC. So, let’s give thanks for being a community that produces people who want to serve, who have the courage to look out to the world and who want to welcome all.
So Happy Birthday Church and thank God for St Martin’s
Wendy Quill
