Good News, A Message from Rev'd Vicci and News from Windsor Foodshare

Great news: our church building will be open again for Services as from Sunday 6 December!

As before, Covid regulations still apply and booking is essential.

Message from our Minister, Rev’d Vicci for 29 November

Thought for the day: Are you a consumer or are you a practitioner? As I look at all that there is around, online and on paper, and as I am being asked and asking others what the world will look like for the Church in the coming days and months, this is the question that keeps coming up: Do we as disciples of Christ look to be consumers, choosing our worship experiences based on what amuses or gratifies us most; or are we practitioners, working with God to grow and develop and with those around us to help in discipling other Christians?

Does this actually mean anything or is it that the things that please us are also those that help us grow and so there is a level at which we ought to be consumers, seeking the best growth opportunities for us to become better disciples? If we are all practitioners, what does that mean? Should we all be pumping out material for others, or should we just be listening and thinking without "consuming"? But we must make some judgement - there is so much out there.

It's all rather confusing and again and again I realise that we are all easily led to fall into well-meaning soundbites, like the consumer/practitioner one I have just given you. John Wesley believed that we needed grace, faith and works. Grace coming from God is given freely to us and by faith we respond. Part of our response will result in good works but also in prayer and Bible Study, in reflection and in care. In that way we are all practitioners and I suppose you could say, we are all consumers. As we continue to imagine what the future might look like, here at the beginning of Advent, I wonder what it is that you hope for? And how should we mark the things that are lost to us for the time being? When the first lockdown happened, I hoped that the Methodist Church would say "This is what it is to look to like now" and then I could work towards that. But each church and Circuit is so different. Here in this Circuit, we need to work out what the opportunities and challenges are for us, not have some top down orders given that do not speak to the Windsor context.

If this is to be a time of opportunity then we will need God to grow that - we can't even imagine it at the moment! In that well-known miracle story of the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1-14) there is a boy who brings out his five loaves and two fish and gives them to Jesus and Jesus is able to take that and make it feed more than 5,000 people with leftovers as well. None of us have the answer to the COVID-19 crisis. None of us have a fully-fledged plan for the church in the coming months. But perhaps if we bring our little bit of yeast for the rolls, our fishing hook for the catch, our contribution then we can lay it before God and watch in wonder as he takes it all and creates from it something wonderful.

We sing with joy at Christmas "Come and join the celebration". Well, I hope we can again. But the marking of Christmas this year will be different. So the invitation right now is not "Come and join the celebration" but "Come and join the conversation." Share with the leadership team your thoughts and hopes and ideas, and together we will prepare to stand once more around the manger and proclaim, “Christ has come.” God bless Vicci

Help to feed our neighbours ……. Windsor Foodshare

They would love to include some festive treats in the food parcels they give out this Christmas and make this festive time more special for local families. Here’s how you can help: Add some items to your grocery list each week until Sunday 13 December, we will provide a drop off point, either at church or another local venue (we will notify you in plenty of time). We will transport all items to Dedworth Green Baptist Church in time for distribution.

Festive goods list include:

• Selection boxes

• Christmas cake

• Biscuits

• Christmas crackers

• Plum pudding

Or to give some much-needed financial support please follow this link:

donations@windsorfoodshare.org.uk

I hope you can help and share the love this Christmas…………………..