Over the last while, I’ve been developing a pattern of ‘out and about’ presence with some of our congregations. It feels like a cross between missional endeavour and electioneering. So it really suits me.
I set out on Tuesday morning with a group of members from our congregations in the Highland Perthshire Group – Holy Trinity, Pitlochry, Kilmaveonaig at Blair Atholl and All Saints at Kinloch Rannoch. I’d lost my voice and wasn’t feeling great – but otherwise everything was fine.
We started with an interview with Heartland Radio and then moved on to Heathergems – local industry – the hospital, nursing home, the Atholl Centre, McCarthy Stone development and countless others. We did the same in Blair Atholl and Kinloch Rannoch – ending up standing in the McDonald Mausoleum. The message we were trying to give is of a church which is interested in and concerned about its community. As the day progressed, I watched with great pleasure and satisfaction as the people who were with me gradually got the point of what we were doing and entered into the spirit of it. They were great.
And there is something else ….. relationships with the bishop have not always been easy. But as we bounced around the community like this, there wasn’t a trace of any of that. We were away out and beyond the difficulties of budgets and buildings.
Thank you to them all – and to the people who welcomed us – and to those who provided the picnic at Blair Atholl. My voice is now back!
What a great way of meeting the congregation.