We are here to help people love and worship God. We aim to be, and encourage others to become, committed and active disciples of Jesus,
who love God and worship him, who know the power of the Holy Spirit and who show God’s love in every part of their lives.
I recently read a piece by Elizabeth Oldfield, a journalist and public speaker. She speaks to groups on mental and emotional health and wellbeing. In the article she writes, “I have spent a lot of time this year telling audiences of all sizes to ‘just go to church’.”
Her writing struck me because as I was thinking about my first article in the new year I wanted to say the same thing.
I often take groups of schoolchildren around St Mary’s, and I say to them that Church is about connection: connection with other people, our neighbours; connection with the past, with history; and of course connection with God.
Church is a place where you can find a place. In Church you connect with real people rather than with social media. As most Churches today have fewer than a hundred members it is a place where you can easily become a part of the family. It is a place where you will soon find you ‘fit in’ and a place where people miss you when you are absent.
Church, especially churches as old as St Mary’s connect us to the past - to the history of our community and nation - it is a place where we find that we have roots.
Church is also a place where we connect with God, in the worship and in the silence. We enter a space where people have gathered to pray and to celebrate and to weep. And at the heart of it all we discover a presence.
Later in her article Oldfield writes, “I warn them that they will find church annoying.” Churches are filled, not with spiritual superheroes but with ordinary people, you may find that the vicar’s singing distracts you and some of his sermons irritate you.
The people who make up the Church, and the institution itself are very, very human, and that means fallible, broken and at times foolish. It has always been like this. Saint Paul once described the Church as a ‘cracked clay pot.’ Not at all elegant or stylish, but the light of Christ can and does shine through the cracks.
The very ordinary and occasionally annoying people who make up every Church are also people who have been touched in some way by God, and God’s light and love can shine in and through them. And it does.
Expect to be disappointed and annoyed occasionally - Church is only human, but expect to connect. Expect also to see the treasure under the rubble, the light shining through the cracks, the glint in the darkness.
God bless you in this new year and why not think about coming or even coming back to Church.
Tim
St. Mary’s Ecclesfield Vacancy Church Wardens
We are pleased to announce that we are recruiting church wardens.
If you would like to take a keener role within our church, contributing to the vital spiritual, pastoral and mission work of St. Mary’s, please speak with Tim.
We are looking to recruit 4 volunteer church wardens, who besides having important legal duties, will help with the smooth running of the church.
Key activities which will be shared amongst the wardens, include.
To be considered for the role you must be over 21 years of age, baptised and on the parish electoral role, not disqualified by the Charities Commission and be willing to undergo DBS checks.
The election and start date are at the Annual General Meeting on Sunday 27th April.
For more information please speak to Tim
St Mary's Church, Priory Road, Ecclesfield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S35 9XZ, United Kingdom
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