In our latest blog post, our Vicar, Rev. Andy Humm, reflects on our journey together so far and takes a look at what's ahead in February at St George & St Paul, Tiverton.
Here we are already in February! I thoroughly enjoyed our January teaching series on ‘A Better Way’ learning to follow Jesus and put Him at the centre of our lives.
We discovered some good practices, prayer spaces, prayer times, standing firm, not allowing ourselves to drift from Jesus. All of these teach us that faith is a 24/7 activity!
We know that this year is going to be a rocky year, working out how we emerge from COVID, navigating the price rises in food and energy, if we can afford a holiday where on earth would we go? Rising anxiety around the seemingly fragile peace that exists in many parts of the world. How do we trust in a gracious God, in the middle of such things?
Our February teaching helps us to see God's Grace, to know it and to experience it and then to demonstrate it to others. We deal with big topics like Grace, Forgiveness, Finance and Justice. Please don’t be surprised when I talk about our own financial giving in response to the generosity of God. Like you, the church is not immune from price rises, and everything we do as a church is funded by your generosity. Look at how much we do and how we all benefit from it, more importantly how we demonstrate the love of God through the careful stewarding of these resources.
I am excited as we head into 2022, excited for what God is going to reveal to us, excited to grow with you in faith, excited to see new people come to know Him and excited to walk alongside you as workers in His Kingdom!
Last week I was on retreat for a few days, and as I lamented and moaned in my prayers about the last 2 years, I was reminded of God's faithfulness to us as a church over that period (and longer) and how much I love being part of the church here too, with these powerful words from Philippians 1:
'I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.'
I do not in any way compare myself to the apostle Paul, but I am grateful that we journey together, confident that in and through Christ, we can do great things for Him in Tiverton.
Every Blessing
Andy
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