Hornsea URC Vision Day
[from Jamie Kissack]
I have no hesitation in saying that Hornsea URC’s recent ‘Vision Day’ was a big success. I am confident in saying that for three reasons. First, we had a good attendance. Secondly it seemed to generate plenty of conversation and debate – it was certainly not one of those events where a few people spoke and most sat and listened.
The third reason for calling it a success is that the event appears to have given us some very clear objectives for the future. On the one hand we have a bewildering array of ideas! On the other hand, some ideas seemed to emerge as ones which seemed to have wide-spread support, and which were clearly priorities.
Two areas of development stand out in particular. Both, I think, are equally important.
The first is prayer. There was a widespread feeling that prayer ought to be our starting point for any development of our mission as a church. At the same time many, if not most, feel they need some help with praying. I suspect that there are two issues in this. There is the way we pray when we meet as a congregation, and I sense an enthusiasm to explore different ways of praying within our worship. Then there is the way in which we pray alone, and try to be prayerful people. Many feel that they need help with this.
The other area for development is our work with young people (as distinct from our work with children, please note!). Although we already have some successful work going on with young people – on a Friday evening, a Sunday morning and a Sunday evening – there is clearly a need to find more and different ways in which our young people can be involved. The first step in achieving this must surely to be to help the young people themselves to decide what they would like.
I think we are in for an exciting journey, as God leads us into new territory and opens up new challenges for us.
