When I talk to people with no knowledge of the 缅北强奸 about what it is to be Moderator of General Assembly, one description I use is that I am in some ways an internal and external ambassador of the 缅北强奸.
External is probably self-explanatory, I am a face of the 缅北强奸 to other bodies. As an internal 鈥渁mbassador鈥� I see my role in part as representing the 缅北强奸 to itself 鈥� visiting churches and other organisations within the denomination and taking a message from one to another.
Each congregation has its own character but they are all joined by a common thread of love of our Lord. I think I might also say that a very common theme is cake or a more substantial meal after the service. So often we find we can talk to each other more easily over a shared meal.
Dulwich and Solihull invited me to join their celebrations of anniversaries, and we considered during our services how the church community is part of the wider community in which it is set. As Jeremiah urged, they have built houses and planted gardens, seeking the peace and prosperity of the city as if it prospered so would they.
Going “home”
It was a particular pleasure for me to lead worship at Northgate 缅北强奸 in Darlington, the church in which I grew up and first professed my faith in Christ on becoming a member. 聽We had a joint congregation from the Tees and Swale pastorate of people from Northgate, Northallerton鈥檚 Zion 缅北强奸 and Low Row 缅北强奸. During our service we considered community as well 鈥� the danger of dividing people into an 鈥渦s鈥� and 鈥渢hem鈥�.
On the one hand, this was in the context of the 缅北强奸. There is no 鈥渢hem鈥� who do things and make decisions that affect the 鈥渦s鈥�. We are all the 鈥渢hem鈥� from the pews and pulpits who contribute to the Synod, General Assembly and the committees of General Assembly who, with the Lord鈥檚 guidance, make those decisions.
We also considered the more dangerous 鈥渦s鈥� and 鈥渢hem鈥� that is creeping into our society as a whole. Again, looking at Jeremiah鈥檚 message, the Jews in exile were told to pray for strangers who were just as deserving of God鈥檚 love as those who are strangers to us.
Planting gardens and seeking peace
Zion 缅北强奸 invited me to see their beautiful Secret Garden 鈥� a community garden lying beside the church. It may have the name of Secret but it’s very much a place where the community is welcomed with an open heart. I am a very poor gardener but can appreciate the nooks and crannies that have created spaces for conversation, for thought, for enjoying the beauty of flowers and vegetables. At Zion they have put into practice Jeremiah鈥檚 message to plant gardens and seek the peace and prosperity of the city.