P.U.G. - Parental University Grief

It is that time of year - children leaving home to go to University. For those going to uni it can be a time of great excitement mixed with trepidation. For those left at home for the first time: mother, father, siblings, it can be a time of real sadness. Of loss. Feeling like a bereavement. We can underestimate and not talk about the emotional impact of a child leaving home to go to university. Going to nursey or school for the first time is a recognised significant emotional moment, notably for mothers. The power of PUG can take us by surprise. PUG - Parental University Grief. It is real thing. Psychologists measure emotional impact in units out of 100. Apparently, a child going to uni for those left at home is 29 points of impact. High impact. Born out of 18 years of love and preparation for this moment. You are not strange if you are feeling PUG. Thousands of parents and brothers and sisters are feeling what you are feeling this week - a bit empty. Well done for getting to this moment. Well done for your part in getting them there. You are not alone in feeling sad and don't be afraid to share your feelings with other parents - they will be probably be relieved!

Newbury Week of Prayer

Next week the churches of Newbury are having a Week of Prayer together. Each day there is an opportunity to pray in a different church in a slightly different style. There is opporunity to go for a Prayer Walk around the town and to join a Prayer Zoom. The Week of Prayer is not just for people who go to church. Anyone can attend one of the sessions - people of different faith, curious about faith or none. For many of us the need to connect with God, something, or someone bigger than us us real. The Week of Prayer provides one way of connecting with God or exploring prayer. There will also be opportunity to pray for current issues, the government, the new MP for West Berkshire, for schools and of course for churches. For more information including a full schedule visit:https://ctnablog.wordpress.com/

Highlights from Commission Festival

Occasional wind and rain did not deterred the campers at Commission Festival from having a good time. Commission is a family of churches around the world gathering together to celebrate at The Royal Bath & West Showground UK. Worship in the bigger Big Top was brilliant - a real highlight; Andrew Wilson was mind blowing speaking about John 1 - light, eternity, word, breath, boom! Tim Blaber spoke on John 2 - "Do whatever He tells you to do" - Mary to the servants at the wedding in Cana. What a challenge! The train, petting zoo, cinema and bouncy castles were as popular as ever. The daily Park Run had more runners; the daily highlights videos were great whilst interviews live and recorded were powerful and moving - one young man from the Middle East told how he become a Christian and then his wife promptly divorced him. Cost and sacrifice. Commission Festival 2026 is on...

Why do 125,000 Christians camp in a field?

There are a lot of Christian festivals and Bible Weeks happening over the summer. A lot. More than 10. These include Commission Festival, New Wine, Keswick, Spring Harvest, Creation Fest, NewDay (NewFrontiers), Big Church Festival, Greenbelt, Focus (HTB), The Gathering (for men). These total more than 125,000 delegates. There are numerous smaller events too. It is fair to say the Christian Festival has returned strongly since Covid. So why have thousands of Christians returned to these festivals, often at considerable expense, to experience discomfort, loss of sleep and long walk to the loo for days on end? God. Festival goers want more of God. They are prepared to put up with camping for more of God. More worship (bigger than in their home church). Good Bible teaching. And community (there is nothing like a bleary eyed breakfast bacon roll together). And children and Youth - 100s or 1,000s of young ones together is a super encouragement: "There are lots like me. Lots!"

Book Review: Until the Streetlights Come On - How a Return to Play Brightens our Present and Prepares our Kids for an Uncertain Future by Ginny Yurich

Having heard about the 1000 Hours Outside challenge (1,000 hours outside in a year) I was keen to read this clarion call for children to spend more time playing and discovering outside. With the average child in America spending 4-7 minutes a day outside but 5-7 hours a day on a screen there is reason to be concerned and this book seeks to address the amount of passive sitting down time. The book is well-researched with a good bibliography. The author is a well read, talented mother of 5 who is passionate about play. There are lots of good ideas for parents and grand parents to help get them and the children outside. The book feels very American - it seems easier where the author lives to get to nice places outside most of the year. There is a strong bias against competitive sport and main stream education (the author home-schools 5 children). Other than that the reader will be challenged to reflect in a healthy way the benefits of being outside...

Book Review: The Connected Life by Todd Hall

John Mark Comer in his best selling book Practising The Way tells his readers "You must read this book - The Connected Life". I can see why. It is very good. Very good indeed. This is no Christian-Lite paperback. Todd Hall is a professor of psychology. He also runs the Harvard Human Flourishing Program amongst things. He knows what he is talking about when it comes to connecting with others and connecting with God and how each affects the other. The reader is taken on a journey from attachment theory to the art of love and how to love others well. With candid personal story and examples from clients the reader feels one moment caught off guard and exposed, the next reassured with a touch of self-realisation and connection. There are some great moments in the book: "You are loved into loving" and one of my favourites: Dumbledoor to Harry Potter: "It is your decisions that make you Harry, not your gift". If you want to know yourself better and why you are here, this book is a good place to start.

A lesson in grief from a couple who lost a child...

I spent some time this week with a couple from London who lost their son. I wanted to learn, to understand, to know a few years on how they are...how they are coping with the loss and grief. I learnt a lot. Quite frankly, they are amazing: their poise, their continued faith, how they articulate their pain and healing journey. "You haven't turned from God...?" I asked. "God never changes", the father said, "He was the same before, He was at the same at the time. He is the same now. Why should I deny Him?" "Where has God been for you?" I asked the tender mother. "It is an intensely personal journey with God", she said. "And what should people not say to those in the midst of this kind of grief?" I asked. "Don't say he has become an angel or a star. That doesn't help", said the father. "Don't say anything", the mother said, "just sit with them". Sometimes being silent is just better.

Governance and Leadership in a Changing World...

...that was the title of a Commission conference the Bridge Church Trustees attended on Saturday in Bournemouth. Teams of Trustees from across the south of England gathered for a very stimulating and important day. It was such a helpful day with advice on leadership, healthy church culture, accountability, what to do if things go wrong and how to prevent them going wrong in the first place! Stephen Matthews from Stewardship Services was brilliant. I learnt such a lot. I also enjoyed being together as a Team from Newbury. This meant we could travel together, talk together and have lunch together - so good.

Book Review: Practicing The Way by John Mark Comer

This book is classic Comer: thoughtful, short strong sentences, brilliant bibliography (worth the purchase price alone!) and a powerful message. Comer already has 2 best sellers to his name, including The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and this will undoubtedly be his third. The Way is a clarion call for Be with Jesus, Become like Him, Do as He Did. The reader will be challenged to look again at the ancient spiritual disciplines of silence, solitude, prayer and fasting. Comer is heavily influences by Dallas Willard and Brother Lawrence and quotes them a lot. One suspects this is something of a reaction to his previous high pressure life of leading a mega church with over 100 staff. Read this book slowly and do even some of what it says and it will change your life.

Book Review: Heaven is Real by Vassula Ryden

Vassula Ryden is unusual in that she is a Prophet in the Roman Catholic Church. She has been to the Vatican to meet Cardinals and Priests about her prophetic ministry. She speaks to small groups and large crowds - mostly Roman Catholic. Heaven is Real and so is Hell is a collection of Vassula's prophetic messages. There is much about Jesus, Satan and The End Times. The essence of the book is a clear call back to God and for Christian Unity. What may be unnerving for non Roman Catholic readers are the frequent references to The Virgin Mary, the Rosary with very few references to The Word of God - The Bible. Dispite her popularlty (she can fill a stadium) Vassula remains prayerful and humble. With great clarity she communicates God's heart for broken humanity and for His Church.

Leadership Conference Day 3

After a grey, rainy start in Bournemouth Rico Tice brightened our day by encouraging us from Mark's gospel to Lead Like Jesus (the theme of the conference) which involves serving and sacrifice, so different from many other leadership models; Steve Petch encouraged us as leaders to not to play it safe - such a temptation for many of us. There was another great spread of seminars ranging from Family Life ( which Beverley and I did) to Faith at Work and Death. Another highlight of the conference has been the City Gate Church building in Bournemouth - large, well equipped, welcoming, great coffee shop with social housing above. Inspiring on many levels. The conference has been great, just great. So much to digest and think about. So many areas where our leadership needs to change to be like Jesus - the best leader ever...

Leadership Conference Day 2

Wow, what a day. Three good main sessions on Day 2: John Groves from Winchester bringing a plumbline to leadership that we all need to be reminded of; Natalie Williams from Hastings who always delivers and with humility and self-deprecating humour tells her own story from poverty to CEO; Segun in the evening dazzled with his story of being brought up in Nigeria, coming to know Christ and now leading in Epsom. Apart from the sessions a real highlight is seeing friends and making new ones. I particularly liked meeting Edwardo & Tanya from Spain - he a game designer and she from the fashion industry, both doing a wonderful job changing the lives of refugees. Great anitipation for Day 3...

Commission Leadership Conference Day 1

The Commission Leadership Conference in Bournmouth is for anyone in leadership - in church, in business, in school, in the home. Just being with hundreds of other leaders and hearing about their context, their struggles and joys is encouraging. Delegates have arrived from Spain, Portugal, India, Canada and Newbury! To worship together is a real highlight. The theme of the conference is Leading Like Jesus and Day 1 speakers beautifully pointed to Him as our model of strong, compassionate leadership: Tim Blaber from Winchester, Mike Reeves a professor from Oxford - copious notes were taken in his sessions; Guy Miller who leads Commission ended the day with an impassioned call for Unity. Looking forward to Day 2 and Natalie Williams...

Losing my voice...

Day 3 and all is quiet...too quiet. I have lost my voice. Viral laryngitis. I don't feel partucularly ill just under the weather. But I can whisper. Just about. All a bit awkard really in my line of work. Lots of talking. All day. I had a meeting yesterday in person but by text - asking questions and responding through my phone. Strange. And frustrating. So it is rest, no speaking, fluids and lots of texting. Laryngitis also means not being able to whilstle or laugh. Funny how we take things for granted like the larynx also called the voice box and the vocal chords. How wonderful they are. What incredible detail and design. So if I don't answer the phone you know why...

Goodbye to Shoemakers

This month something significant happens in Newbury – Shoemakers Bookshop closes. Shoemakers has been selling Christian books and Bibles in The Arcade for 20 years. Quite remarkable for an independent shop to operate successfully for so long. Shoemakers has been staffed by Steve Wood the manager, helped by a dedicated team of cheery volunteers. Behind them an equally dedicated team of faithful Trustees. Steve has been the manager all that time, always ready to find a book or Bible (in any language) - he quite likes the challenge. But there has been more to Shoemakers than books. It has also served as a meeting place, serving tea, coffee, and gluten free yummies. And a quiet, safe place. A prayer place. Shoemakers derives its name from Christopher Shoemaker – one of the Newbury Martyrs. He was burned at the stake in 1518 along with his friends for reading The Bible (see the plaque in Enbourne Rd). The startling image of Shoemaker holding his Bible aloft in the flames can be seen on the mosaic next by the library. So, it is goodbye to Shoemakers. Goodbye to Steve and the Team. And thank you for faithfully serving the people of Newbury and reminding us of the power of The Bible.