A place where faith, people and justice matter
Here are some inspiring thoughts from our new chair of Yorkshire N & and E district, Revd Romeo Pedro, who loved visiting Beverley’s Westwood, as the cows reminded him of Namibia, his birthplace. He was very impressed about the 80 plus church and community groups which use Toll Gavel United Church. Come and hear him preach on the morning of 25 th October at Toll Gavel.
‘My own thinking about leadership has increasingly been shaped by four words: Remember, Reimagine, Risk and Review. We remember and honour the people and stories that have brought us this far. We reimagine what church and mission might look like in a changing world. We find the courage to take faithful risks when God opens new possibilities. And we review what we are doing with honesty and humility, always willing to learn. But perhaps even more important than any strategy is relationship. Ubuntu [in Zulu and Xhosa, two of the languages spoken by Romeo] teaches us, “I am because we are.” Our flourishing is bound together. Churches flourish when people flourish; communities flourish when relationships flourish; and leadership flourishes when it is shared. But above all, I am convinced that we need to build all of this on Prayer. I fast and pray every Friday (and have been doing so for about 33 years). I’d like to invite you to ‘stop and pray’ for a few minutes for the life of the District, particularly for the mission in your Circuit and Local Church. For the early risers, I also pray every morning between 5 and 6 if you’d like to join me.’
I (Fran) think that the four R’s – Remember, Reimagine, Risk and Review, are a really helpful progression and set of thoughts, which we need to continue to use at Toll Gavel. Which of these would you say we could helpfully concentrate on some more? I won’t be joining Romeo in early morning prayer, as mine tends to happen somewhere between 8 and 9am! But, this dedication, including weekly fasting, reveals his African Methodist Christian origins, where early mornings are relatively cool, and where daily prayer and regular fasting are seen as essential components of the Christian pilgrimage of life. May we seek to remember to practise our faith daily to give us insight, perseverance, and courage in this journey we’re on together.
Reverend Fran Rhys
