Loaves and Fishes launch a MAP
In Trellech and Penallt we launched our Mission Action Plan with a party!
St Andrew brought a boy who had five loaves and two fishes to Jesus and five thousand people were fed. Taking our cue from this, on St Andrew’s Day (30 November) we gathered in St Nicholas, Trellech, for a Loaves and Fishes evening.
We started with a short, informal service to offer our plan to God and to commission the MAP co-ordinators. Then we tucked in to delicious fish pies and bread rolls (shaped like fish and fishing boats) baked by Linda Campbell.
The challenge was to bring a pudding which fitted the theme! Jelly-fish, bread pudding, seamud pie were some of the imaginative results. The curate cheated by bringing ‘Fruits de Mer’ shaped chocolates. The winning pud was a pink blancmange fish swimming in a sea of green jelly concocted by churchwarden Nancy Pugh.
We were asked to write on a cutout loaf or fish, what we could offer to the MAPping plans and activities. These were caught in the nets pinned to the boards with our five aims on. We trust that however small the offering, God will multiply it to meet the needs of his people.
Our first MAPping aim is to become a church ‘which is rooted in prayer in order that the helaing power of God may be released in our community.
During Advent our housegroups had a series of ‘taster sessions’ on different ways of praying. Various people shared their prayer experience on such subjects as ‘Stepping into Prayer’, ‘Praying with Scripture’, ‘Tried and Tested Structures’, ‘Praying with Silence’, ‘Gossiping with God’. With such a varied diet, everyone found something new and enriching.
To complement this, our Sunday services during Advent used material from David Adams’ CD Candles in the Dark which is a series of meditations based on the candles in the Advent Wreath. The bible reading was followed by a descriptive word picture and then some thoughts to ponder on how God comes into our lives today just as he came into the lives into those we were hearing about - patriarchs, prophets, John the Baptist, Mary. The meditation was rounded off with a promise for the week ahead which led into the Peace and the Eucharist.
Those who came wondering what bright idea their clergy had had this time, left expressing appreciation for the quiet, reflective service at a busy time of year.
Revd Janet Bone