Let's start at the very beginning...

...a very good place to start.  Many of you will recognise those words from The Sound of Music.  They start the song where Maria is teaching the children how to sing: A-B-C for learning to read, Do-Re-Mi for music.  (Infer nothing about my musical preferences from this reference, but this is my first blog and I’ve got to start somewhere!)

I’ve been discussing with the Synod Officers ways in which improve communications between the office and local churches.  Developing our online presence is one of those ways.

It need hardly be said, but I shall say it anyway, that our hope is that the communication develops in both directions.  Our aim, as Synod staff, is to support the local church in developing their mission – to help you to do your things better.  For us to achieve that aim, we need to hear clearly from you what support will help you.

But to drop back to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s theme – we need to start somewhere.  Small steps will make a difference and open the door to larger, more confident and more effective steps.

It really is coincidence that I begin these blog postings at the start of January.  I don’t “do” New Year’s Resolutions.  If a change is worth making it is worth making anyway, not just because we turn a page on our calendars.  It is not my intention at the outset to make regular or frequent postings, but I hope that I shall be able to use this particular forum to share some ideas, thoughts and reflections along the way.

As the United Reformed Church we are now moving into a new phase of life – Walking the Way: Living the Life of Jesus Today.  You should have heard already that this is not a new programme or new initiative.  It is the basis for which the Church will turn to what it should always have been doing but somewhere along the line we have tended to neglect.  The URC will, under the Walking the Way banner refocus our energies on building up disciples of Jesus Christ and releasing them – us! – into mission.  In other words, we are going back to the Great Commission (see Matthew 28:16ff).

My prayer for us all is that together we will embrace this “re-boot of our DNA” as I’ve called it elsewhere.

May you know Christ more deeply and seek to serve Him and our neighbours this year.

Steve