November 2007

Growing From a Small Base – Mission & the Smaller Church Conference 6th October 2007

By Mrs Lynda Wilkinson & Julian Mann

About 40 people from several small parish churches across the diocese met at our parish church in Oughtibridge to discuss how we can grow both numerically and in authentic Christian commitment. We were welcomed by the diocesan director of ministry Revd Canon John Thomson. The main speaker was the Wakefield diocesan missioner, Revd Tony Macpherson, who for an hour gave us a very entertaining and humorous talk.

His main points were:

• Worship
  Convenient times and length of services were vital as were meeting the needs of all parishioners, young and old alike.
• Building
  It needs to be warm and welcoming. Each church tradition collects its own tat. Keep the church clean and uncluttered
• Outreach
  We are called to serve the people in Christ’s’s name. We invite and encourage people to our services.

Seminar speakers included James McCaskill from Lundwood, Barnsley, who was featured in the ‘Priest Idol’ TV programme, and Nigel Elliott, vicar of St Thomas Kilnhurst and Area Dean of Wath. To achieve growth we must be united in mind and thought - our strength is in our unity. We have to trust in the Lord. God speaks through his word and we gather for prayer to call upon God to work powerfully in our midst.

We should encourage one another “for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2 v 8-10).

We must proclaim the Good News of salvation from all sin through faith in Christ. The parable of the prodigal son shows that God rejoices when lost sinners come home to him.

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