Thursday 12 May 2011

Feedback from Canada

We've heard from a couple of the Vicars that we had contact with in Duncan on Vancouver Island:




Hi Roger! Good to hear from you.
I so enjoyed your company while you were here and it was great to have some company when I came home everyday. I hope the team is all doing well and that you will stay here again when you return. We have had a lot of rain this season which makes for gorgeous green lawns and fields. The wild flowers are everywhere so while it may be damp and cool the scenery is ripe with color and texture.

Things at the church [St. Peter's] continue... we do seem to be in a bit of a fluctuation. [Deborah goes on to say some more things here about the time of change they are going through - so do pray for her.]

On a happy note, someone in the parish has donated a $1000.00 for a portable keyboard so we can start having some services outside and in the graveyard and sing, sing, sing accompanied by a nice keyboard. I have applied and been accepted into a doctoral program that begins in June. I will doing a doctorate of Congregation Development.

Felix [the dog] is fat and happy.
Big hugs to all and yes, we will keep in touch.
Many blessings,
Deborah



Good Morning Roger,
 
I have just received a copy of the letter Wayne Coombs sent to you re: the transfer of funds.  Now that all of the business related to your visit has been concluded, on behalf of the Parish Council of St. John's I want to express a special word of appreciation to you, as well as to Bill, Helen, Ann and Devon, for your uplifting and encouraging presence among us.  The parish and public response to the services you conducted here, the clergy meeting, the local choir preparations and the presentations of Rock went beyond our expectations, and have left a very pleasant glow.  We spent some time at our recent Parish Council meeting sharing personal observations and also comments that have been made to us by others, and without exception those comments were all very positive.
 
So from me personally and from all of us here at St. John's, thank you most sincerely.  We look forward to our next meeting.
 
Wishing you all of God's richest blessings,
 
Dale

Monday 9 May 2011

A time of renewal

On Sunday evening we held another renewal meeting at Christ Church, Ward End.  These renewal meetings have been an absolute delight, as God has consistently turned up to bless, heal and challenge.

This time Andy Jolley was the speaker, and he focused on becoming the person God made us to be - following on from the opening quotation in the sermon for William and Kate's marriage.  He encouraged us to think about things that have stopped us from being who we were made to be and also to ask the Holy Spirit to come and fill us - not just in our areas of strength but in our areas of weakness.  He reflected on John 6 and 7, and all the different opinions and outside influences which were threatening Jesus and his identity.

Once again we had a great music group, and Roger led worship - including a new hymn from the forthcoming collaboration between Roger and Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith.

The next renewal service is on Sunday 26th June at Christ Church at 6.30pm.  Do encourage people to come.

Two Sisters at Kidderminster

On Saturday night we held the next in our series of Two Sisters and a Funeral performances.  This time we were at Trinity Methodist Church in Kidderminster, which has recently been rebuilt following a fire and is very beautiful inside.

The New Life Together Choir in Kidderminster are a wonderful group who were formed 25 years ago to put on a performance of From Pharaoh to Freedom at Kidderminster Town Hall.  Roger and Mary can remember going to watch and sitting up in the balcony.  So this was a very special evening as the choir were celebrating their silver anniversary together - including a lovely cake!

As we were in Kidderminster we were privileged to have a cameo from Simon and Louise Gudger, who played the parts of Jesus and Martha respectively.  Simon and Lou have been less able to spend time with CMM since having children and Simon becoming a Baptist pastor in Kidderminster.  It was wonderful to have them, and they had worked really hard learning the different parts.

The rest of the CMM team were Devon playing the part of Lazarus, Helen as Mary, and then Jonathan and Richard as baddies and goodies, depending on the song.

The choir were absolutely fantastic - they sounded wonderful, and particular congratulations go to the men, who despite being very outnumbered produced a great sound that balanced beautifully.  Choir trainer Carole had done a great job.

The performance went really well - and the church was absolutely packed.  They had to open up the side doors and sit more people in an overflow area.  Well done to Sue, Katy, Carole, and all in the New Life Together Choir for their hard work.

Thursday 5 May 2011

Jerusalem Joy on the Isle of Wight (2)

The performance of Jerusalem Joy was held on the evening of Good Friday - a really special moment for all of the guests and the CMM team.

Jonathan Chappell took the part of Jesus, and the other solos were filled in by some of the guests.  There was a big orchestra too, including guitars, flute, clarinet, violin, Roger on piano and Phil on bass.  The congregation was really big, and everyone from the hotel came to watch if they weren't already performing.

The performance went really well - Annie conducted, with Roger playing piano as there was no need for backing track with such a wonderful group.  The soloists all did a brilliant job too.


One of the delights of the week has been the hotel and its ethos - it is run more as a Christian community than a business, and the leaders and all of the staff came and joined in whenever they could.  Many of the staff are young people on gap years, and they joined in the choir and orchestra.