DISCOVERY!

I was speaking to Kevin a few weeks ago,and he mentioned that he listens to songs on spotify before he ever purchases any music. I had never heard of it. I must get out more often! I have now accessed spotify and have discovered so many different singers and bands, I might never have heard otherwise. At the moment, I'm enjoying the songs of Regina Spektor. I've also been able to listen to singers like Neil Young whose albums I used to have on vinyl! Eilidh says to write that "she loves it too!"

Meetings

Last night I was involved in two very positive meetings. The Lighthouse management team meeting from 7-8pm, where we agreed to take a step of faith and create 2 new kitchen/catering posts in the cafe for a 6 month period. While there is an improvement in the volunteer base, it's not sufficient to give Gwen enough time to pursue the development aspects of the Lighthouse. The next 6 months are a vital time for us in terms of increasing the uses and income of the Centre. Let it be said, that I'm quite confident that we will suceed (I'm writing this as a marker to refer back to in 6 months time!!) We also said farewell and thank you to Carol Sharp who has done a terrific job in terms of keeping us on course with all the financial aspects of the project from the very beginning, 18 months ago.

Then it was on to the Congregational Board. I came away from the meeting struck afresh by the fact that we have such a skilled and positive group of people leading this dimension of Hilton Church. The meeting ranged over a wide number of issues and time and time again, many creative and wise suggestions were being made. I count myself very fortunate to be part of such good team. The main item on our agenda was working out how to deal with the wide range of administrative and financial tasks that require to be done within the congregation. Every year, the amount of paperwork seems to get larger and larger, and in our experience the pressures of life, and possibly the age profile of our congregation, makes finding volunteer support increasingly difficult. With our longstanding and long suffering secretary Sandra soon to leave us, this is an issue that we need to address urgently so that we don't end up in chaos.We agreed to form a small working group who would look at all our administration and financial recording keeping requirements with a view to creating a post/s to solve this major challenge for us.I also plan to try and contact other congregations in a similar position to us, to find out how they operate.

Hopefully, I'll be able to look back at this post in 6 months time, and celebrate real progress on a variety of fronts!

LECTIONARY READINGS

Lectionary Readings for Sunday 4th October 2009

Job 1:1; 2: 1-10
Psalm 26 or Psalm 25
Hebrews 1: 1-4; 2: 5-12;
Mark 10: 2-16

Where are the hymn books?

At 9.53am yesterday morning things were looking bleak at Hilton Church! The band was concluding its rehearsal, the church was full waiting for the service to begin, and I was at the sound desk wondering what to do next! The computor wouldn't boot up, so there were no words on the screens for the songs. I also had a video presentation about Open Doors to show as part of the service. I was just on the verge of digging out the old hymn books when Iain Ross appeared to save the day. Thank you Iain. Technology is great, but over the years I have had my fair share of stress when glitches have occurred.

Last night we had a Taize service. Short meditative songs, scripture readings, times of quiet for reflection, the lighting of candles as prayers for others and communion. It was just what I needed.

A day of contrasts. The hectic hurly burly of a morning service and the quiet peace of an evening service.

FOOTBALL FOR LIFE

Calling all football fans! Here's an exciting project. Is this something you can share and help with through your football club?

ESTHER PROJECT

The internet is such a gift in terms of connecting with all sorts of iniatives on a global scale. The theme of the service tomorrow is FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS - Mordecai's encouragement/challenge to Esther. I've just discovered this link to an Esther Project in Adelaide. It looks like a very interesting fresh expression.

INDIAN FOOD

My week has had a significant Indian dimension to it. My friend Roddy has been lecturing in a Law School in Bangalore this week,and all his texts have been concluding with "I'm off for another curry now!"

It was our turn for a curry last night, curtesy of Brian and Marea Gunn. When Brian isn't putting his hand to making broth for the Lighthouse, he is often sharing hospitality Indian style. The food last night was quite exquisite, and I hope its not too long before we see Marea's Lemon nut crunch on the menu at the Lighthouse. You might not have been entertaining angels last night, but the food was heavenly! Thank you Brian and Marea.

WORSHIP MATTERS

Our thoughts and prayers are with Elaine Watt and the team leading the SU camp at Altnacriche this weekend. It's a beautiful morning in Inverness, so hopefully the weather is similar in Aviemore.

Along with her SU leadership, Elaine also co-ordinates all the worship teams at Hilton Church, a role which she has done in an outstanding manner for many years. This past Thursday, we had a meeting of all the worship team leaders, for a review of the current situation. Several years ago, we began with one band, which became two bands, and then became four bands. Where did all the musicians come from?!! We have discovered that when you make space for participation in music and worship, the people just keep coming! To that end, we decided that we are going to form a fifth band. If you are reading this, and are interested in sharing a musical talent in worship, please speak to myself or Elaine.We are also going to experiment with a variety of different permutations in terms of the mix of musical instruments used at certain services. Jonathan will also seek to develop a Youth band to get involved in a variety of youth led services over the next year. We also hope to encourage some more singers to get involved in leading with the various bands. There were plenty of ideas being discussed and I'll blog about others as they come to mind over the coming weeks. We're very grateful to God for all the musical talents we have at Hilton Church, and we're glad for the opportunities that arise to share it beyond the congregation. Tonight, a large group of musicians from the Congregation are playing at a Youth event in Dingwall, where Jonathan is speaking.

SU

Scott MacRoberts completes his time as a SU staff worker in the Highlands TODAY. We wish him every blessing as he embarks on two years of theological study at HTC. He also begins a six month church placement in Nairn next month. We will all really miss not having Scott around at Hilton Church.

Sticking with the SU theme, Elaine Watt is leading a Primary Schools Weekend beginning at Altnacriche TONIGHT. Several of the children and a few of the leaders at the weekend are also from Hilton Church, so today we are praying that they will all enjoy a great weekend together.

WALK WITH THEM

This morning I have begun some work for Sunday based around the heroic figure of Esther in the Old Testament. The book of Esther clearly has links to persecution, and that has led me to look at a variety of organisations like Open Doors. I've also found a number of video clips which highlight the reality of life for many believers around the world. Here, here and here.

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Hebrews 13 v3)

THE FORGOTTEN WAY

Interesting comments here by Bill Hybels from Willow Creek about ordering our priorities.

"A lot of us say ... my life is just so full ... I can't fit everything in.....If your life is so full ... you had better be very clear [about] what you're going to leave out of it because something or someone is going to get left out."

THE CHOIR

Just watched the final episode of the truly inspiring Unsung Town with Gareth Malone. An 8 month musical project seeking to create greater community within South Oxhey, a London housing estate with a poor reputation. The programme has a life changing impact on many of the participants. The Church could learn so much from watching the way Gareth goes about realising his vision.

A day in the life of the Lighthouse!

I arrived this morning at 8.30am to find Williamson the Fruiterers delivering the supplies for the day to the Lighthouse. Five minutes later, the Tree surgeon arrived and began to work on felling 4 trees which needed to be removed. Two of the trees were obstructing the light to one of the neighbouring houses. The other trees were occupying the space we need for the large shed in the garden. We plan to relocate the shed and develop the garden as an additional space for the Lighthouse and church. There was a steady stream of patrons for the cafe throughout the day, and it was especially encouraging to see Laura and Alison helping as volunteers. We are slowly beginning to build up a strong team of volunteers to help Michelle. I have done a couple of sessions helping in the Lighthouse recently and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It is very encouraging and rewarding to be able to serve and share with so many people from the surrounding area who are now using the cafe.

Match ends Adidas and Puma feud

Fascinating piece on the BBC last night about the ending of a 60 year old feud. 2 brothers fell out 60 years ago and a football match this week signalled the end of the feud. I wonder how many feuds are in the backgrounds of our lives that need the equivalent of a football match to end?

Church 'must shed its M&S image'

Would Jesus shop at M&S or Asda?!!! Read all about it here.
As is so often the case, Living Wittily gives an excellent response.

Up The Creek Without a Mullet

Great to note that our resident mullet hunter is soon to publish a book on said subject.

LECTIONARY READINGS

Lectionary Readings for Sunday September 27, 2009

Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22
Psalm 124
James 5:13-20;
Mark 9:38-50

PROVERBS OF CHOICE - THE FINALE!

It was good to be able to reflect the proverbs of choice at our service today. I simply put the various verses on powerpoint and shared them at the beginning of the service.

Here are a couple of late additions:

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver" (Doda)

"Charm is deceptive and beauty does not last, but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised."( Jean)

I have enjoyed the discussions which have flowed from the Proverbs. I wonder what other ways we can adopt to help stimulate a greater level of sharing about Wisdom for living?

RUTH

Jonathan preached a series of 5 sermons on Ruth in the late summer which I found very helpful. I was pleased and intrigued to discover that a production of Ruth by the No Nonsense Theatre Company was being performed at Greenbelt. The first time I tried to go, the queue was so long, it was clear that I would never get in. I went early the following day and managed to get in. I was not disappointed. Here's a report of the background to the production. Jonathan's sermon together with the drama have given me a new appreciation for Ruth.

what is a chai wallah?

I'm sitting here with a fine cup of tea in my hand doing some early morning preparation for the 10am service. Here's a post I enjoyed reading about the artistry of a chai wallah in India. Enjoy.

CONGRATULATIONS

We are delighted to hear of the birth of Elsie Nicole Hutchison this week. Elsie weighed in at 6lb 10.5oz Congratulation to Doug and Nicki and sister Beth. We look forward to welcoming Elsie to Hilton Church in the near future.

mountain walk

Another fine day in the mountains yesterday. The high presssure remains over the UK, so we had excellent visibility.The photo is of Donald MacDonald near the summit of Sgurr a' Mhaim with Ben Nevis in the background. The views from the summit were spectacular. A bit cold for shorts on the summit!

WELCOME

Inverness is the kind of city which many people are passing through. This dynamic in my view has a very healthy impact on church life, as there is a healthy turnover in congregational life. New people are continually bringing new gifts and insights into our context. This reality is now being heightened by the fact that Highland Theological College is training up ministers for the Church of Scotland. We have a steady stream of ministers in training, and it's just great to have this happening locally. On 1st October, we welcome Andrea Boyes, who is in her 3rd year at HTC. She will be on placement with us until Pentecost.

PROVERBS OF CHOICE

Thank you for all the great choices of Proverbs. If you are engaging with this theme of wisdom, I would love to hear from you before Sunday via the comments section. The whole exercise of putting out this challenge has really got me thinking about preaching! I was genuinely expecting a much greater level of response. Perhaps folk are meditating on the various verses and there is going to be a rush of comments towards the end of the week.Perhaps most people had moved on to something else in their minds by the time coffee was over on Sunday!Perhaps like many aspects in life, you need to persevere with an approach like this over a period of time. Baby steps forward are normally the best way of progress. I'm now working on a sermon from Proverbs 31 for Sunday. In the course of my research, the anarchic Lark News made me smile!

THE SILVER DARLINGS

I went to a quite outstanding performance of THE SILVER DARLINGS last night at Eden Court. It's by the same company who performed SUNSET SONG last year. If you have a free evening this week, and can still get a ticket, I would highly recommend the experience.

PROVERBS OF CHOICE!

I'm hoping that I am going to get a better response than two, to my request about proverbs on Sunday. Maybe the response reflects the true impact of a sunday sermon!

LIGHT HOUSE TEAM MEETS

The management team for the Lighthouse met last night for one of its regular (bi-monthly) informal meetings.There's too much to deal with in our other bi-monthly (more formal!) meeting, so we just get together to touch base over a coffee at 5.30pm.

The development of the cafe business is going well, as is the use of the various rooms in the building. We have also had the unexpected bonus of the main sanctuary now being used for conferences with catering through the Lighthouse. The major challenge we face is how to keep growing the work (esp the cafe). We have an excellent, but small core of volunteers. At the moment we can't really move much further forward without an increase in this level of volunteers. We need wisdom and imagination to work it all out. I'm sure there is a way forward, but we just haven't fully worked it out yet. I've highlighted the needs on a regular basis through Sunday worship, and we are slowly receiving additional support.

The other major bit of news is that we agreed to buy a deep fat fryer last night! There are plans to further diversify the menu and there is a significant demand for fries in the various surveys done.

NEWSNIGHT INTERVIEW

"Economics is too important to be left to economists!". The Archbishop of Canterbury was on Newsnight yesterday. Here is a report of his interview. In my opinion, he speaks with a clarity and a wisdom which we seldom hear, if ever, from our politicians.

"There hasn't been what I would, as a Christian, call repentance. We haven't heard people saying 'well actually, no, we got it wrong and the whole fundamental principle on which we worked was unreal, was empty'."

BAPTISMAL PHOTOS

Here are some photos of Ronnie and Martin's recent baptisms.

That's My King! Do You Know Him?

Rob and Gwen showed this video last night. Soooo powerful! "I wish I could describe him to you!"

Scottish 'Munro' loses its status

An interesting report here about the loss of a Munro this week! I remember climbing this hill in atrocious weather conditions several years ago along with Duncan MacLauchlan. I climbed another 4 in the Mamores near Fort William last week. Outstanding day with magnificent views. Sadly, I forgot to take my camera. The walk took us nearly 12 hours, so my bones are still feeling sore this week. 31 Munros now left to climb!

JOURNEY DOWN THE JORDAN

I sat with some visitors last night at the cafe who are soon heading for a study trip to Israel/Palestine. There is a very interesting journey outlined on the BBC website today which gives a good flavour of the Jordan Valley, a area which is so significant in terms of biblical hisory.

IMPACT CAFE

It was great to have Impact Cafe again last night. A dynamic and thought provoking multi media presentation from Rob & Gwen Barlow, tasty cakes and loads of young people. It's the kind of event where we are beginning to see the youth inviting along their friends. Last nights event was a further encouragement towards continuing to experiment on the edge with a variety of different expressions of worship and community.Impact Cafe is an event which many folk in the main stream of the congregation neither enjoy nor support, and yet it is undoubtedly the event of choice for many others. It's important to recognise that "one size doesn't fit all" as far as worship and christian community is concerned - effective mission will involve creating space for different expressions.

I've just seen this post on jonny baker's blog and I'm wondering whether we can go one step further and have a meal as part of the cafe? Any thoughts! The cafe involves a great deal of effort from a dedicated team. Thanks to the folks pictured and many others for making it all possible.

Finally, the next Cafe is on 1st November and we're calling it WORLD CAFE. We are going to invite folk to bake cakes reflecting as many parts of the world as possible. Should be a great evening. Hope to see you there.

LECTIONARY READINGS

Lectionary Readings for Sunday 20th September

Proverbs 31: 10-31
Psalm 1
James 3: 13 - 4: 3, 7-8a;
Mark 9: 30-37

Through The Pilgrim Door

Later this week I'm involved in a team meeting (Commission is the technical word!) for the planting of a new church in the southern part of Inverness. It's a new experience for me and one which I'm sure will have its ups and downs. I've just been reading here and discovered a recommendation for this book.

There’s a lot of talk about ‘fresh expressions’ of church emerging in our culture. But what does it actually feel like to be given a blank piece of paper and told to start something from scratch? Michael Volland takes us with him through the first year of his pioneering ministry. With the full backing of one of the oldest denominations in the West (the Church of England), attached to a cathedral but given free rein, Michael steps out to discover what ‘church’ might mean for those who have written it off as an irrelevant institution.

For the majority of us involved in the Commission this is a new experience. We also have a blank piece of paper in terms of how to start this new church. This sounds like the kind of book which would be very helpful to read.

PROVERBS OF CHOICE!

We looked at Proverbs 1 this morning. I made the request during the service that everyone, whether individually or as part of a family group or homegroup, take a look at the book of Proverbs this week and chose a proverb that is meaningful for you/them. I am hopeful that the chosing will involve a discussion across generations and within family units.I would be grateful if you could record the proverb of your choice in the comments section of this blog. It would be helpful if you could add your name to the proverb, and if you want to say why the proverb stands out for you, that would be great too. I hope to take the various proverbs chosen and incorporate them into the opening time of worship next Sunday morning.

Ten films to help you talk about gender

It's Late Saturday afternoon and I'm putting the finishing touches to some reflections on Proverbs 1 for tomorrow. The frustration is that there is so much one could say, but so little time to say it in. In the final analysis, the most I can hope for is that my reflection serves as a conversation starter. It's striking that according to the writer of proverbs wisdom is in short supply.

How was it possible for so many people to ignore the voice of Wisdom?

Could it be that Wisdom's voice was masked by the loud din of competing voices?

Which voices shout louder than Wisdom's in our contemporary society?

How can we listen more closely for Wisdom's voice in our daily lives?

I'm also struck by the fact that Wisdom in the Proverbs has a feminine gender. Perhaps I can provoke some discussion on this theme tomorrow. I found this link which could be a good basis for increasing understanding and wisdom in this realm.

Impact cafe this Sunday

Hello, Gwen Barlow here just to announce that it's Impact cafe with Rob and myself this Sunday evening at 6.30.. coffee, cakes and an interactive evening. The theme is "What are you listening to?". We look forward to seeing you there.

Blessings!

School remembers Laurence

On Sunday afternoon, Laurence Parrott,aged 17 was tragically killed near the Falls of Foyers. Laurence was a very highly regarded former pupil of Inverness Royal Academy. He was an outstanding musician and in June, he had the lead role as the Ugly Duckling in the school musical HONK! His sudden and tragic death has had a major impact on the staff and pupils. Acts of Remembrance and thanksgiving took place this morning at the school led by the Chaplaincy Team. An area close to the main theatre has been filled with flowers and cards. Our prayers are with the Parrott family during these dark and difficult days.

THE ELBOW BUMP OF PEACE!

Over the years, a significant element of Greenbelt has been the outdoor communion service on Sunday. This year, it was felt that sharing communion was unwise given the current concerns about swine flu. You can read the full service order here. Even the sharing of the peace was adapted to minimise risks of infection.

Leader: The peace of God be with you
All: And also with you
Leader: Let us share The Elbow Bump of
Peace with each other

I see that these current strictures are also causing problems in France!

LECTIONARY READINGS

Lectionary Readings for Sunday 13th September
Proverbs 1: 20-33
Psalm 19
James 3: 1-12
Mark 8: 27-38

09/09/09

I've never been much good with figures, but just noticed the date!

READY TO ROLL!

I see that Albert Bogle's Sanctuary First project is now ready for launching. The project represents a fresh way of seeking to engage people with the gospel beyond the traditional parameters.

FINDING WISDOM

I'm working this week on another Sunday service based around the book of proverbs. The passage is Proverbs 1 v20-33. Wisdom is this passage is characterised as being feminine! I like this picture which I found here. I think this predicament is more likely to happen to me than the female painter in my home!

TAMING THE TONGUE

"The tongue is only one half of one percent of the total weight of my body, but that little one pound of flesh in my mouth can control the whole direction of my life." Anon.

THE CREMATORIUM

The funeral of the late Rita MacDonald took place this morning at Inverness Crematorium. Rita was a very fine lady who lived for over 40 years just behind the Church. She joined Hilton Church on the 1st of February, 1967. I count it a real privilege to be part of a congregation which has such a wide range of ages. While we are known for being a church which has many families and young people, we also have a significant number of elderly members. I like being part of a church where we have a strong sense of connection with the development of our community through our older members who were there at the beginning.

On a slightly different tack, I had never been in a Crematorium in my life before the one in Inverness opened about 12 years ago. I had a sense of foreboding about going there based around the souless, clinical reports of others who had been to Crematoriums in other parts of the UK. I needn't have worried. Inverness Crematorium is a very comfortable and well appointed building which is an improvement on many churches I have been to. The grounds are also very extensive, as well as being attractive.

MUNRO CHANGES

I enjoy taking a look at a variety of outdoor blogs. Here's one I particularly enjoy, and it has news of some possible changes to the Munro list! I have 35 left to do. Will it be more or less after the press conference on 10th September? The pictures are of some plane wreckage we discovered close to Lochnagar while out walking last month. Remarkably, all the passengers in the crash survived as you can read here.

YOUTH WORKER APPOINTED

Over the past 6 months, we have been fund raising towards the establishment of a new youth work project at Hilton Church. Yesterday morning, we were able to announce that our current Probationer Assistant, Jonathan Fraser is to become our new Youth Worker. His probationary period ends in October and he begins as Youth worker on 1st November. It was good to sense a strong level of affirmation for this appointment yesterday, and we're all glad that we won't be saying farewell to Jonathan and Susie in October.

RAIN

At the beginning of September 2002, there was a huge amount of rain which led to severe flooding in parts of Inverness. The boiler in the church was completely flooded. The rain has been falling heavily again this week, and parts of the North East are experiencing flooding. Is there something special about this time of year? It seems to be especially wet.

HOSPITALITY

The photo above can be found here on Jonny Baker's blog. It's a reminder to me of one of vital aspects of our faith. The practice of hospitality. Jesus' ministry continually involved sitting down for meals with all kinds of people. It's something which we're all called to practice as followers of Jesus. (Hebrews 13 v2)

REPUTATION

I'm currently working on a sermon from Proverbs 22 v1: a good name is more desirable than great riches. There are too many angles to tackle in a short sermon. Here are a few questions I am pondering, as I think about a good name/reputation?

How are reputations measured today?
What do you think is important in the formation of a good name, a good reputation?
Are you aware of the ways that people in your community experience you?
What kind of name, what kind of reputation do you have?
What kind of reputation do we have as a church in the community?
How does a person change his or her reputation?
How does a church change its reputation?

AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan is currently dominating the News. Should British forces remain or withdraw? What's it all about? If you want a fresh insight on Afghanistan, I would recommend Asne Seierstad. During the war in Iraq many journalists were "embedded" with American or British troops, and it's a practice that has changed the way that wars are reported and witnessed around the world. Norwegian journalist Asne Seierstad chose a different path. She embedded herself with an Afghan family after the overthrow of the Taleban. The result -- a novel called "The Bookseller of Kabul" This summer, I also read her other three books, based around her journalistic experiences in Iraq, Serbia and Chechyna. In each of them, she was clearly putting her life on the line as a journalist to report the stories. She provides a fascinating insight into some of the most troubled parts of our world.

ROK OUT!

It's exactly one year today since the Lighthouse was officially handed over by Rok. It's been quite a roller coaster of a year since then taking the Centre forward. Thanks to everyone who has played a part in it. It's been hard work, but great fun too. It was exciting to see the Light house catering for 41 lunches as part of an nhs conference in the church yesterday. The potential for the development of the church as a good venue for conferences with the provision of catering through the Lighthouse is beginning to emerge. Our aim was to have the Lighthouse open 7 days a week serving the community. It looks like we may also be opening the church too as part of this process! It's exciting to be part of a project where what happens far surpasses what you imagined at the beginning of the journey!

RANDOM QUOTES FROM GREENBELT

This Sunday involves a "first" for me...the first time I have ever preached from the book of Proverbs! I'm grateful for the way the Lectionary challenges you to deal with all parts of Scripture. I have really enjoyed reflecting on some of the sayings from Proverbs this week. Here are a few bits of wisdom from Greenbelt which stick in my mind.

Every little bit of hope you stumble across is real.

Sabbath is a day when all your work is done even if it isn't.

Comfort isn't a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

What sayings/proverbs have you been thinking about lately?

DUKE SPECIAL

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Greenbelt was the diverse range of music on offer. My out and out favourite was Duke Special who you can see performing here.

kirking of the council

Once again the Kirking of the Council is coming around- it's definitely an annual event now! Here is an note from Peter Nimmo about it:

KIRKING OF THE COUNCIL will take place on Sunday 13th September at 10.30am at the Old High Church. The service will be led by the Reverend Peter W Nimmo, Minister of Old High St Stephen's, and the Rev Dr Peter Howson, Minister of Inverness Methodist Church. Councillors will parade from the Town House, led by the combined Pipe Bands of the Royal British Legion and Northern Constabulary and members of uniformed Youth Organisations. The choir of Inverness Royal Academy will also sing during the service. All citizens of Inverness are warmly invited! For more details, see the Old High St Stephen's blog at or call the Rev Peter W Nimmo on 01463 250 802.

New helper at the Light House

We are always looking out for volunteers to help out in the Light House cafe.. young Rohin pictured here did a fabulous job helping to clear tables on Wednesday. Thank you Rohin!


We are in need of more volunteers to help out in the cafe and so.. whatever age you are, your help however big or small, is welcome!
If you are interested in volunteering at the Light House please do contact Gwen in the daytime on 01463 224477 or by mobile on 07786022567

FELLOWSHIP MEALS

I was really sorry to have missed the gathering to mark the end of Chris Watt's time with us as Youth worker. By all accounts it was an event that everybody really enjoyed - the tables were heaving with food! Fellowship meals were an integral part of the early church's life, and for a number of years we regularly gathered to share meals together in the large hall. It's interesting to note that this is beyond the memory of a large per centage of our current congregation. The majority of people in Hilton Church have been involved for less than 10 years.There appears to be enthusiasm for sharing these congregational fellowship meals in the future, so we'll try to plan for one towards the end of November.

BUILDING COMMUNITY WEEKEND

Last November, we shared a very memorable Renovare weekend together in the Church. This November 13-15th, we want to build on some of the experiences of that weekend. All the information is on the leaflet above. The weekend is open to all, and we would be grateful if you could forward this information to anyone who you think might be interested. I shared in a session led by the Northumbrian Community while I was at Greenbelt, and found it really helpful and encouraging.