Farewell Article

In the summer of 2010, the weather was warm, England were performing rather better in the World Cup, and the Kichensides arrived in Lilleshall and Muxton.  Four years ago I was writing to say thank you for a wonderful welcome, bristling with the excitement of meeting so many new people.  I had my first taste of the Activity Days (the theme: Zero to Hero) and was encouraging everyone to pray for the vision days.  Having just arrived, I remember making the most of a quiet August by trying to finish a 12,000-word dissertation alongside planning All Age Holy Communion services on Deborah and Gideon.  How time has flown?

Preparing to leave a place with significant memories is never easy.  In our house the other day I stumbled upon a pot of mystery keys – every home must surely have one; mystery keys which as far as I can tell open all the houses we’ve ever lived in, and all the padlocks on the sheds and garden gates!  It was time to sort out the pot, and I felt the Holy Spirit speak. 

Keys…  Jesus said, ‘I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ (Matthew 16.19)  The kingdom of this world knows nothing of heaven.  It remains a mystery, locked, hidden away.  All over the earth there are corners of our humanity that need to be touched by heaven - bitterness among ethnic groups, powerful structures that mask abuse, suspicion within communities, broken marriages, hurting people.  And, there are things deep within ourselves that need to be named and loosed, and things that need to be left with Christ on the cross.

I sense this is what God has been doing in my life and ministry over the past 4 years.  Jesus said, ‘I will give you the keys’ – keys to hearts and minds, both young and old, and keys to your own heart and mind.  The Holy Spirit has been opening new opportunities for God’s healing love to move out-there and in-here.  Sometimes it’s been through a big project, sometimes a school assembly or Sunday service, but other times its happened through a quiet visit, a word, or even just a look.

Preparing to leave Lilleshall and Muxton is unlikely to be easy.  I want to simply give thanks for all God has done in this place.  And, may there be more to come in the future.  I will carry the treasures of the kingdom of heaven gathered here, to the next phase of our family-life to Holy Trinity Parish in Chatham.