May 26 Monthly Message

I recognise that it’s only been a few weeks since I last wrote to you as a congregation, but my usual

practice is to write at the start of each month—so here’s my message to you all for May.

 

We had a bumper Easter Sunday. The church was packed, and it was a real joy to celebrate together

on such a special day. The highlight, of course, was the four baptisms—truly significant moments in

the life of those individuals and in the life of our church.

 

It’s often the case that when we experience high points like that, they are accompanied by hardship

and opposition. The weeks since Easter have been hard. I won’t go into detail, but things haven’t

always gone according to plan, and at times there has simply been so much happening that I’ve

found myself without the capacity to give everything the attention it deserves. Inevitably, things

slip, or I reach the point where I feel close to folding under the weight of it all.

 

I don’t say that out of any sense of ingratitude—far from it. The Lord is clearly at work among us.

But, as the saying goes, with the blessing comes the battle. And that’s what it feels like at times—a

battle in which we’re called to persevere, to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and to

remain faithful in the midst of it all.

 

As it’s the beginning of the month, I’d love to encourage us all to renew our commitment to

bringing donations for Nourish this Sunday. The level of giving into the project has been

decreasing, while the level of need is increasing. We are rich in so many ways, and many of us are

able to give a few tins or items to support those who are less well off than we are. In doing so, we

become a blessing to others and demonstrate good stewardship of what God has entrusted to us.

 

One thing I haven’t had the chance to mention before is that we now have a number of Bibles

available to give away. A striking feature of this current spiritual moment is that Bible sales have

risen significantly—people are curious and asking questions. As there isn’t anywhere in Blandford

to buy a Bible, I’ve purchased a number that we can give away freely, along with some simple

guidance on how to begin reading it and where to go with questions. If you know someone who

would benefit from having a Bible, please do take one from the back of church and pass it on.

 

And while we’re talking about Bibles, can I encourage all of us to bring our own with us on a

Sunday morning? Yes, we have pew Bibles and the readings on the screen, but there is something

different about having our own Bible open in our hands—following along, underlining, making

notes, becoming familiar with the Word for ourselves. These are simple habits, but they play a

significant part in growing our maturity as followers of Jesus as we seek to be formed by him.

 

Earlier this week I popped into the Family Small Group while collecting something from the Parish

Office. There was a real sense of life and energy as families spent time together in the garden after their session. Megan is leading them through the newly revised Bible Course, and it’s encouraging to see people on the fringes of church beginning to engage. As we’ve already noted, the Bible is often one of the key bridges into faith for those who are exploring. Please do pray that God would use this to grow our ministry among children and families.

 

Today (Thursday) we held a soft launch of the Coffee Club youth drop-in, and it was genuinely

encouraging. Ten young people came through the doors—mostly sixth formers we’ve already

connected with, along with their friends. The atmosphere was warm and relaxed: making coffee,

playing games, chatting, using the consoles, and gathering around the table football. One of the

sixth formers said she loved the feel of it and would definitely be recommending it to others. Please

do be praying for the project as we officially launch this coming Thursday (7th May)—for the team,

for our sixth form volunteers, and for all who come through the doors.

 

On Sundays, it’s been encouraging to see new people stepping into key roles that help make our

services happen—PA, projection, welcome, and more. This is what it means to be church: everyone

playing their part. There are still a number of areas where we need more people, particularly in

children’s and youth ministry. If you consider BFPC your church family, can I encourage you to

speak to Rodney, Tina, Heidi, or myself about how you might get involved in making Sunday

happen?

 

In a couple of weeks’ time we have our Annual Parochial Church Meeting on Wednesday 13th May

at 7.30pm. This is where we elect our churchwardens, deanery representatives, and PCC

members—those who help ensure the governance of the church is healthy and effective. This year,

that feels particularly important as we work to strengthen areas where our structures haven’t kept

pace with our growth—especially in finance, buildings, and operations. If you have relevant

experience and would be open to serving in this way, please do have a conversation with me, Stuart

Britton, or Heidi Roberts. We’d love to explore that with you.

 

Over the past week we’ve held two sessions of prayer ministry training, with around 30 people

attending. It was deeply encouraging to see such engagement in this area of church life. My hope is

that praying for one another becomes a normal part of who we are when we gather. Receiving

prayer isn’t a sign of weakness or that something is wrong—it’s a sign of spiritual maturity,

recognising our ongoing need for God’s presence and power in our daily lives. I want to encourage

all of us to respond to invitations for prayer on a Sunday morning. You never quite know what God

might do as you step forward. And if you haven’t yet attended the training, do come along next time

it’s offered.

 

As I mentioned in my last message, we are planning to run a Holy Spirit Day on Saturday 23rd

May, and that is still very much the plan. We would love as many people as possible to come

along—especially if you’ve never experienced something like an Alpha Away Day before. We are

just in the process of confirming the venue and hope to share details shortly. For now, please do put

the date in your diary and make it a priority if you can.

 

As we move into this new month, my encouragement to us all is simple: keep going. Stay close to

Jesus. Be faithful in the small things. Support one another. And remain expectant—because the

Lord is at work among us, even in the midst of challenge.

 

With every blessing,

 

Chris