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Momentum

Looking forward to the year ahead

The need for momentum

As we look back over the past year we can see that there continues to be growth, movement and change. It has been a good year, and an important one. We have been growing numerically and spiritually. We have had some sad goodbyes and we have had some joyful hellos. God has been good to us and he is faithful. We have also worked hard and some of us have felt the toll of this on our bodies and spirits at times. We are learning to share the work among us. We have set a direction and we are walking together towards a shared future. We are moving.

Movement is vital. There is a word for things that don’t move: Dead. Life is about moving. Movement is both enjoyable and necessary. None of us want to become stuck in a rut. Movement is vital.

But movement is only so good...  What we really need, as a church, is momentum. Momentum is not simply movement. It is movement with weight. It is something that builds. It is unstoppable. Speed is good, but momentum is better. Momentum is mass and speed.

We have been moving – but what we need this year is momentum.
One person is easily stopped
A pack of men is not so easily stopped

It is true that a group has ‘momentum’ when they are moving together in the same direction with purpose

And the question I am asking myself is what can we do to build momentum in every area of our church life together? Certainly it will mean pulling together in the same direction and it will mean that we keep moving together, helping each other one as we go. It would be crazy if we all heading off in different directions...  Momentum is only going to be something we have when we are working together. 

A church with momentum will be moving forward together in all four areas: Worship, Community, Discipleship and Mission.

Let’s look back over the last year using the four headings of ‘worship, community, discipleship and mission’ as a way of evaluating how we are doing and where we need to go in the future…

Worship

In our worship together, as I mentioned in last year’s report, I am looking for it to be four things: passionate, informal, rich, and rooted. How are we doing…?

All this is good, but I believe a new momentum is needed in our worship together, and I want us to grow in the following wasy this year:

Community

How are we doing in this aspect of our life together? Are we growing as a community?

At last year’s AGM I said that I had 3 aims for the year - that we would:

We have done two out of the three of these. The 'Live in the graveyard' event was a great success and we have seen a new Home group starting and the re-launching of older ones. This is good… but could we do more?

When I think of this aspect of our church, I ask myself this question, “What kind of community are we becoming?” and it is clear that, as new people get involved and belong, we are becoming a different community to the one we have been (which means that there are new people to get to know).

It has also struck me this year that we are learning to cope with the increasing needs of older members while also needing to welcome and involve those with small children.

As I think back over the year I am reminded of all the numerous acts of kindness shown to each other from simple things to very costly things. These things matter. Thank you.

I am also aware of the gift to us that all our brothers and sisters from Poolemead are to us. Many visitors notice this aspect of our community life together more than any other and I personally treasure their presence among us.

But do we need to grow? I think so, and if I had to articulate exactly what that means I would say that we must work hard at becoming:

Discipleship

Is there momentum in our discipleship? Individually… and as a group?

In last year’s annual report I set out a number of aims for the year – namely that we would:

What’s happened?

As we look ahead can we do more to build momentum in our discipleship?

Mission

We exist for mission not for ourselves.

This is one of the hardest things for us to keep at the forefront of our life together but it’s true. The other Sunday I asked some of us this question:

“Would it matter if we didn’t exist? Who would miss us if we weren’t here?”

It’s a good question. I want to belong to a church that lives for mission, that feels that it is on a mission. People are not ‘targets’, but the truth is that we must be intentional about reaching people or else the church will fail to grow and others will not know about the life in Kingdom of God. Just as in nature, given the right circumstances growth is natural for churches, but the question is how can we make mission more natural for us? That’s why we thought about the idea of having 5 people to focus our attention on – writing their names on a card and praying for them regularly – actively seeking them out and doing everything possible so that our 5 people might enter the kingdom. Who are your five? (Click here for more on the significance of five)

How have we been reaching out this year?
Have we been doing that individually?
Have we made the most of the opportunity at Rose Cottage?
Have we used the events we have done as a church or simply gone with others to events they like?
Who have we invited to Alpha this year?

When I first came I invented a catch phrase – which I put on everything:

St Michael and All Angels - “A church for you”

Is it a true statement of who we are? Do we exist for others?

As I look ahead I long that:

On this, the PCC has decided to put £1500 aside for this purpose and to give responsibility to Ben and Abi to work with the kids at Teens Club through building relationships with Teenagers and their families through structured and unstructured contact. This is a very exciting development and I give thanks to God for their contribution in this area.

The Adventure

When I think of us being a group of Christians here in Twerton I think of it as an ‘adventure’… An adventure is an adventure when you don’t know what is going to happen next. It is an adventure when you are aware of the danger but pushing on regardless. On an adventure it sometimes feels like hard work, sometimes we are frightened or down hearted, sometimes we feel we have reached the edge of ourselves. But in an adventure we are excited about our goal and it is exhilarating – it is challenging – it is exciting…

The question Jesus had for Peter was whether he was going to get out of the boat… The question for us is whether we want to get into the boat when we know it is going to be quite a ride down the rapids.

We all matter – young and old. We all have something to contribute. We all are part of the mission.

We all need to grow in prayer. We all need to give towards our mission.

I want to be part of a group of people who have sold out for Jesus. A group of people who live for him and each other, who live for their community/neighbourhood, and who are learning to love.

I want to give my life to a group of people who are focused on Jesus, and have been set free by Jesus, and forgiven by Jesus, and made safe by Jesus.

I want to use my resources to enjoy making a difference to others, and to throw parties and to enjoy life together.

I want to see people grow in confidence and achieve amazing things for God. I want to see people following Jesus in their daily lives. I want to see people being guided by him and being used by him.

I want to be in the boat

With you

Ways of responding
How can you respond to this call that we share together? Here are some suggestions:

This is a year for increasing the momentum – moving together in the same direction with purpose.

That’s what we need: Momentum

If you have any comments to make why not email Richard to let him know what you think.