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Walking the Way News

learnWhen Jennifer found herself unable to travel to Training for Learning and Service (TLS) tutorial sessions, her entire group decided they would come to her! This living out of the Holy Habit of Gladness and Generosity kickstarted a journey which would lead Jennifer to places she could never have imagined.

All followers of Jesus, whoever they may be, have opportunities in everyday life to speak to others about our faith. Personally, I work as a driver for children with special needs, with an assistant to help me. We spend many hours together during the week and, as usual, the same question arises, ‘What have you got planned for the weekend?’ ‘Well, Bob,’ I say, ‘I will be at church on Sunday.’ ‘You don’t look like a holier than thou,’ he replies, ‘and I have been an atheist all my life.’ That was a starter for 10. Now, a year on, our conversation has progressed to ‘You know, Jennifer, those guys that wrote the bible were clever, I just might have to come to church one of these Sundays.’

Read more: Everyday Discipleship: What an honour and privilege

As part of the URC's series of stories from Church Related Community Workers, a reflection on 'Walking the Way- Holy Habits with Our Community' at North Avenue Miscaleb gregory 1337148 unsplash WEBCROPsion Project, Chelmsford has been written by Maria JY Lee. Maria started this, her first CRCW project, since graduating in July 2018 and had a couple of major setbacks, through no fault of her own, right from the outset.

After serving the community for over 90 years, North Avenue United Reformed Church closed its doors on 30 September 2018. After, what was a stressful and uncertain period came some exciting plans to set up a Mission project, based at the church premises and launched on 1 October 2018.

Maria says: "Our Mission Project statement is: ‘Working together in the love of Christ and reaching out as church in community'. The Chelmsford Project is willing to build partnerships for the wellbeing of the local people and to serve the community with a rich mix of biblical material and inspiring social resources."

To read more about Maria's journey and The North Avenue Mission Project, read here.

Read more: CRCW Reflects on 'Walking the Way: Holy Habits with our Community'

Reverend Pugh GC credit Fiona Duakes Pugh familyLast year marked the 77th anniversary of an act of faith that led the Revd Herbert Cecil Pugh to become the only church minister awarded the George Cross.

RAF Chaplain, Squadron Leader Cecil Pugh, was aboard a troopship, the SS Anselm, sailing for West Africa when it was torpedoed by the Germans on 5 July 1941. Mr Pugh did his best to help the injured but, hearing that many men were trapped in the hold, insisted on being lowered into it, despite it already being below the water line. Mr Pugh insisted that he needed to be with his men and that his love of God was greater than his fear of death. According to the citation made in 1947, Mr Pugh knelt with the men in prayer as the ship went down. He was never seen again.

Read more: Remembering a George Cross hero

plumeFor the past three years Plume Avenue Church in Colchester has been on a significant journey of discovery. The Revd Geoff Felton explains what this has entailed and meant for the church’s walk with Jesus.

The elders kickstarted a process of self-evaluation for the church by exploring issues of leadership, mainly stemming from the lack of people coming forward for consideration for eldership. This automatically led us towards questions around discipleship.

Read more: ‘Don’t build the church, make disciples!’ says Plume Avenue Church

fusionSharon Matthews from the ‘Fusion’ project in Tonge Moor tells us how much the words ‘Follow me’ have meant to her in her discipleship journey.

When I learned that, in Mark’s gospel, the first words that we hear Jesus speaking are ‘Follow me’, that got me thinking about the times when we need to go somewhere and we say ‘I don’t know exactly where I’m going or how to go there, so I could do with some direction from someone to help me’. It made me start to think about my journey so far and what my interpretation of Jesus’ words, ‘Follow me’ have meant to me. I thought about all the people whom God has put in my path, whom I followed when I didn’t know which way to go, and even moments when I have been able to say to others, ‘Follow me’.

Read more: ‘Follow me.’ Really Jesus?!

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