Writing up the register for the recent Confirmation service I was struck by the fact that most of the young people getting confirmed had been baptised at St Michael's too. 11, 12, 13 years later they were professing their own faith in public, after years of being nurtured in faith, both by their parents and by our church family.
These young people, and the adults who were confirmed with them, need our continuing prayers, friendship and support. Sadly, that confirmation register also has the names of many who are no longer actively growing in their faith, or have given up altogether. Like the seed in Jesus' parable, the word of God has shrivelled up or got choked in lives filled with busyness and the pressure to conform to the world's beliefs and values.
Like a garden, if our church and our lives are to bear fruit we may need more than a bit of maintenance, but some clearing of “stones”and “weeds”, and some pruning, so that young and established plants can grow together to produce fruitfulness and beauty for God's Kingdom in Sandhurst. Are we ready?
These young people, and the adults who were confirmed with them, need our continuing prayers, friendship and support. Sadly, that confirmation register also has the names of many who are no longer actively growing in their faith, or have given up altogether. Like the seed in Jesus' parable, the word of God has shrivelled up or got choked in lives filled with busyness and the pressure to conform to the world's beliefs and values.
Like a garden, if our church and our lives are to bear fruit we may need more than a bit of maintenance, but some clearing of “stones”and “weeds”, and some pruning, so that young and established plants can grow together to produce fruitfulness and beauty for God's Kingdom in Sandhurst. Are we ready?
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