Highley Pen Factory

Today, the CIH has visited the local factory - known locally as 'The Pen Factory' - which is the largest employer in Highley by far.

The CIH will be expected to visit the factory unit every couple of weeks or so in a chaplaincy role.

Refreshments Everywhere

The last weekend (26th-27th August), the CIH had left Highley once again - this time to serve refreshments at the Bridgnorth Children's Festival. This was the first Children's Festival of its kind in Bridgnorth. The overall aim of the weekend was not to make a profit but to give children and their families a great time. The festival carried the subtitle "making memories" and that is just what the organisers set out to do.

Over the two days, hundreds of children and their families visted the Oldbury Wells site and joined in the activities. There was a rolling disco, other on-stage activities, things to make, things to ride, percussion workshops, dance workshops, chill-out tents and of course, loads to eat.

And that is where St. Mary's, Highley came in. They ran a refreshments tent to provide bargain cups of tea, coffee, hot chocolate and squash to the visitors. Over the weekend, the CIH was part of a team that served in the region of seven hundred hot drinks and probably nearly three hundred cold drinks.

Reports in the local press don't mention the CIH but they do indicate that the festival was a great success and plans are already being made to make this an annual event.

Park House

Today, the CIH went with the RIH to Park House, a Nursing/Care home for elderly patients many of whom, if not all, suffer with Alzheimers, not far from Highley. They went to take Holy Communion to the residents.

The CIH found this a difficult visit. Not least because it was just about impossible to know if the gathered congregation were even aware of what was going on. Only one of the residents actually followed the service all the way through. Many fell asleep (not in the spiritual sense) and others just sat there throughout.

In these sorts of situations, it is easy to say "Why bother?" and I found the CIH reflecting on the nature of the Eucharist and the significance of taking Communion to these residents. His thoughts were a bit vague but there are three main points that he makes as a conclusion.
1) What, he asks, would we saying if we do not permit individuals to be part of the Eucharist. After all, we are one body because we all share in one bread. By refusing Communion to folk just because they are not in the position to ask for it is discriminatory and allows individual members of the clergy to determine who is an acceptable member of the Body of Christ, the Church.
2) The Eucharist by its very nature is a healing sacrament. To withold such a sacrament from the sick and suffering is contrary to everything the Christian faith stands for. Jesus sought out the least and the lost to be his disciples and, in one of his parables, reveals that the kingdom of heaven is like a feast that will be attended by the poor and the lame - those whom the world ignores.
3) We will never know, on this side of eternity, the thoughts and inclinations of the residents and, in taking Communion to them, we may find ourselves reaching out to them with more than just bread and wine, we may find ourselves presenting them with Christ himself and allowing them to acknowledge him as their own Lord and Saviour.

I don't think the CIH will ever look forward to these visits but he will continue to trust that, in visiting and taking the Eucharist there, God will work out his purposes for these individuals in the latter stages of their lives.

For the First Time

Do you ever find yourself doing things that you have never done before?

The CIH hasn't preached yet in Highley, led a Sunday service, led a funeral or baptised any babies but today, he got to drive a caravan for the first time ever.

One of the church members damaged his ankle playing five-a-side football at Soul Survivor so today the CIH went to Shepton Mallet to collect him, his car and caravan and bring them back (nice car too).

A Week in Charge

The RIH went away with the youth and their leaders for Soul Survivor. This takes place at the same place as New Wine but a few days afterwards. While he was away, the CIH was left to look after the place. Was this a wise decision?

I am pleased to report that the CIH did not cause any trouble during the RIH's absense. He even restrained from ripping out the pews from the church and left them all there. All in all, it was a quiet week - apart from leading morning prayers in church and fitting in a couple of meetings and visits, the CIH was free to concentrate on sorting his diary out and preparing for the onslaught of busy-ness that will come with the new school year in September.

On Sunday 13th, the CIH dusted down the church's keyboard and accompanied Mervyn (on guitar) to form the worship group for the 11am service in the Severn Centre. Lots of positive comments all round. Maybe he'll even do it again sometime.

New Wine

Saturday 30th July through to Sunday 5th August saw the CIH at a Christian conference called New Wine. Sorry to those of you who thought he had started making his own alcohol again. This was only the second time that he had attended the New Wine conference - the first being last year. New Wine is held at the Royal Bath & West Showground near Shepton Mallet. It was a bit tricky to spot the C(not)IH as there were about 13,000 other people there as well. But he was found along with his wife, his three children and twenty-one other members from the Church in Highley (including the RIH and his wife). Most of the group had caravans to sleep in but the CIH and his family camped out in tents along with the majority of other delgates at the conference.

The CIH was seen attending the main celebrations twice a day where he was able to share in a time of extended worship lead by various worship leaders from large churches around the country. The worship was followed by good biblical teaching. In the mornings, this was given by Kenny Borthwick, a Scotsman with a great sense of humour. The evening talks, which were given by a different speaker each evening, were followed by a time of prayer ministry. The CIH was witness to the way God was able to reach out to individuals. He saw deaf people healed of their deafness; lame people able to walk - some for the first time in years; some people brought into repentance; others called by God to serve him full-time - some here in this country but others overseas. God was real and God was near.

As well as the twice daily celebration meetings, there were opportunities for further learning in seminar groups. The children were looked after in age-specific groups and they too saw people healed as they prayed.

The CIH will be returing to New Wine next year (Sunday 5th - Saturday 11th August). He hopes to take a large contingent from Highley with him to experience the power of God and the worship of thousands. This is just a foretaste of heaven for there, the worship of God will be by numbers to numerous to count and the power of God will be plain for all to see.