My dear Friends.

In the middle pages of the parish magazine you will find details of our Annual Meeting on Sunday, 9th April at 7.00p.m. in St Andrew's Church Hail. Why turn up? Well I have mentioned some reasons in those centre pages and in addition it is very encouraging for me to see that you are there in support of what we are trying to do together for the Lord and for the community in which we live. The T.V. probably won't be very wonderful that night and anyway if past years are anything to go by the meeting should not last much more than an hour. So give yourself a treat and join us.

I was reminded of that meeting at our recent Parochial Church Council Meeting (and remember the members are your representatives and you vote for them at the Annual Meeting) when the Churchwardens (and remember you vote for them - I just have to work with them and the rest of the PCC!!) mentioned that this year the annual form they have to fill in for the Archdeacon has a place for us to write our 'Parish Vision Statement'.

This reminded me that in my letter outlining the importance of our Annual Meeting I mention the importance of not only looking back over the past year, but also of looking to the future . . . 'looking forward with something of a vision of where God wants to lead us...

Now, of course, any planning for the future, particularly by the individual has to be done in the llght of the fact that anything could happen at anytime. So we plan humbly, with dependence on God, knowing that things might have to change because of say, illness or moving on. However, if we make no plans then we can hardly expect much progress for we will simply be reacting to whatever comes along.

So what is our vision for the future here in our two Churches? What plans have we for the next 5 years? I note that two local Churches (Christ Church in Colbert Avenue and the Baptist Church in Thorpedene Gardens) are both nearing completion of major building programmes. I do not think that is for us in the near future.

For us, I think, the challenge is to grow in numbers. In my 8 years here our numbers have maintained about the same and that is encouraging when you take note of how many have departed either in death, or moving away or joining another church and so on. But maintenance is not good enough for a church that has Good News. We need growth. After all we are told by our Lord to witness for Him and to tell others the good news of a crucified and risen Jesus.

So we must always be looking forward making opportunities to share what we know of the Lord with others and if we do so falthfully and prayerfully then we will see God at work in and through us. The result will be others showing interest, joining us and coming to faith.

Not everyone ... but some and maybe just one person through your efforts. But that is all it heeds for a church to double in size. Each person being used by God to bring along one other person.

THAT IS MY VISION - A CHURCH THAT DOUBLES IN NUMBERS.

Now that may not happen in my time here (but I would love to be here when it happens!!) but certainly I hope to hear of St Andrew's and St Peter's both doubling in numbers and then looking to double agaln!

Impossible? Of course not but it needs all of us to play our part. So how about it?

God bless you
Yours sincerely

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