Quo vadis - Where are you going?

 At the AGM, I spoke of my vision for the parish.  It is still early in my time at St Stephens, and these thoughts are not ‘set in concrete’, but they give an idea of the course I propose to chart.

 It’s a lovely sight, the yachts moored in the still water down at Gulf Harbour.  Many of them will spend the greater part of their ‘lives’ there.  But is that what they were built for?  No, of course not.  They were built to sail, to go somewhere.  And it is the same with the Church.  We are brought together and formed into a local Church for a purpose. 

The analogy of a ship for the Church is very old - let’s explore some aspects of it. 

Helmsman

A ship needs someone to steer her or she will go nowhere.  The helmsman must balance the forces acting on the vessel so it goes in the desired direction.  There is the wind on the sails, the stabilising of the keel together with effect of currents.  In spiritual terms the wind of the Holy Spirit empowers us while the Word of God steadies us.  In the list of gifts in 1 Cor 12:28, Paul refers to the gift of administration or leadership.  The Greek word literally means “the skill with which a helmsman guides a ship.”  We need that leadership of sensing what God is doing and setting the sails and rudder to go with him.  I understand that to be my role with advice and prayer from others.

Recruitment

Then a ship needs a crew.  They need to be recruited.  Our various outreach programmes fit in here - Alpha, mainly music etc.

Watchkeeping

When the ship slips its moorings and heads out to sea, some experienced sailors have to provide the skills while the others learn.  Many roles are already being filled and filled competently here at St Stephens.  However, it would be good to review and adjust various functions so that we might excel in what we do.  Therefore, we will be organising some training and encouragement sessions for servers & chalice bearers, readers, intercessors, musicians and pastoral carers.  In addition, I would like to reintroduce service leaders to take the first part of Sunday services.   

Basic Training

With a new captain or crew there is the need for a shake-down voyage.  The crew need to learn skills, to develop as a team, to form trust and be bound together as a group.  This takes time in any setting, but for Christians there is an essential development - learning who we are in Christ.  Some people get saved but don’t understand deep down what that has done for them.  I am considering running a course called Live the Life which I would recommend for all of us to establish those facts but also help deal with hindrances to living the Christian life.  A sort of spiritual warrant of fitness, perhaps.

Specialist Duties

While some sailors continue to fulfil essential deck duties, others learn specialities.  We all have areas where we have particular skills, talents and gifts to offer.  When I was interviewed, the nominators mentioned that there is a desire to help people identify their gifts.  I would like to do that.  It is exciting to see people recognise and start to use the gifts God has given them. 

Such a programme would then result in some areas of specialist training: 

• a preaching course
• training the healing team (as we have done for seven churches already), and
• spiritual gifts - teaching, training, practising and growing in confidence.

Expeditions

You may have guessed that this naval metaphor is somewhat influenced by Hornblower, Bolitho and other naval stories.  Once the crew is trained, it is ready to do the job.  Often a cutter would be sent out for a raid.  Perhaps the equivalent is our sending out teams to other churches for faith-sharing weekends, healing conferences, running Alpha weekends etc.  These are tremendous opportunities to help others but also to see God at work and learn that he does want to work with and through you. 

Fleet Exercises

Naval vessels not only train alone but also with others.  Perhaps the equivalent of fleet exercises is going to events like New Wine Conferences when we learn with Christians from other churches - very stimulating and enjoyable and well-worth going. 

These are the areas I think we need to look at over the next year or two.  We cannot do it all at once and there may be the need to make adjustments as we go.  Nonetheless, there will be areas of relevance and interest for all of us here.

I look forward to our journey together propelled by the wind of the Spirit.

In Him,

Ian

Welcome aboard - let’s get sailing!