Just recently I found myself reflecting back over 2014 and some of the good things that had happenedin the Vine Community Church – it had been a very full year, not only the usual Sunday morning services at Cherry Willingham and Fiskerton but other things – the events for young people, the schools work, the community choir, the book club, and several of us supporting vulnerable members of our community through “Assist” or the Journeyman Project.
But now we’re two months into the 2015, so I’m asking the above question. What I mean is, how’s the first part of 2015 been for you?
At the beginning of this year I made a New Year’s resolution about learning some new things and it’s actually been happening! And not just for me – a number of people in the Vine are trying something new. For one person it’s organising creative crafts evenings; for another, it’s setting up a coffee time drop-in to talk (not sure that’s what it’s called! But it works this way- someone says they’ll be in a particular place once a month, and anyone who wants to come and drink coffee and talk turns up – what a great idea.) There’s plenty of other new ideas too – a real buzz of fresh energy and enthusiasm.
And me? I’ve risked playing a new musical instrument (in public!) Instead of thinking of lots of reasons why I shouldn’t and couldn’t, I just started! And it was exciting! Why do we hesitate so much before starting some (good) new thing that we’ve not been brave enough to do before.
There’s a comment in the Bible on this - “God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.” (2Tim 1:7) Sometimes it’s good to be bold.