REFLECTIONS: “HOW CLERGY THRIVE”How Clergy (and the parish) Thrive at New Haw The evening classes are HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and the daytime classes are called LIFT (Low Impact Functional Training). We have a fully qualified fitness instructor who specialises in training for seniors and those with limited mobility and so she can run classes for just about every level of fitness. The exercises we use are adaptable for most levels from beginner to experienced and the classes although they can be hard work, are always rewarding. It’s really hard not to feel better after some good exercise.
Good diet, regular exercise and the company of others are three easy ways to help with your fitness, wellbeing and mental health. The aim for these classes is that we can attract a whole new group of people from our parish to our church buildings and to meet with them on a regular basis. I am a great believer in ‘relational evangelism’ and that if we give people an opportunity to come into a Christian, encouraging, loving, healthy environment, we give people an opportunity to meet with Jesus…and at the same time help them with their fitness and wellbeing. Please pray for us as we continue to grow this ministry and please do check out our ever-evolving web pages here.
Gospel Thriving in Egham
Clergy thrive…when God's people, empowered by the Spirit use their gifts. The photo is a showcase of our Gospel Partnership for our Re-gathering Service on 5th September 2021.
Thriving News from Englefield Green This is an exciting new venture, inheriting as it does all that is best both from Christchurch Infants School and from EGIS. We had a lovely afternoon on 2nd September celebrating this significant Birth Day. We met in the school field, the children sitting on a huge tarpaulin - beautifully smart in their new uniforms - and parents, teachers and governors gathered around. Alex Tear, Director of Education at the Diocese of Guildford talked about this joyful day of new beginnings and warmly thanked all those who had made this new start possible. He reminded us that we are now one of 83 church schools in the Diocese - a family of more than 22,000 children. Both he and Bishop Jo spoke of the shared heritage of Christchurch CofE Infants and Englefield Green Infants School. Bishop Jo prayed that the new school would be blessed by God - and talked about the nature of that blessing in the form of an acronym: a new BEGINNING, LIFE in all its fullness, the anticipation of shared EXPLORATION, the SURPRISE and SPARKLE that awaits us; the ECUMENICAL nature of this new adventure together and the wonderful DIVERSITY represented amongst us. The Mayor of Runnymede, Councillor Elaine Gill was also with us and pledged her support for the new school - and said she hoped to share many other happy occasions with St Jude’s Infant School in the future. Juan Pemberton spoke on behalf of the Governing Body - and the children revealed a pretty good understanding of what a Governor should be doing!! We are indebted to the governing bodies of both Christchurch and EGIS for all their patient and dedicated work. Michelle McNamee, Head Teacher, added her thanks and joyful anticipation of the future. She had arranged the unveiling of three framed pictures which will hang in the new school reminding us of both As Vicar of St Jude’s I am an ex-officio Governor at the new school. Jeremy Brown, who has served as co-chair of Christchurch Infants School now becomes an ex-officio Governor on the new Governing body also in his capacity as Family and Children’s Pastor at Christchurch. We are also delighted that Orion Edgar, Anglican Chaplain to RHUL, is the school’s Foundation Governor appointed by the Diocesan Board of Education. Between the three of us we shall be contributing regularly to the school’s programme of Collective Worship. Please pray for us all going forward. Thank you!
Thriving at the Fair in Thorpe
|
