It’s been a pretty exciting week and I am now in a position to share something of what has been happening here on the Greenwich Peninsula. I am also conscious that I have been quiet too long and that I also need to reform the habit of being here more regularly as writing here helps me to reflect particularly when I receive your comments and opinions.

Since my licensing on September 4th I have been doing a lot of listening, praying, walking, talking, drinking coffee, listening, , listening,  more and … err listening! I think there have been a few beers, rums and whiskies there as well.

I have been asking the 12 members of Holy Trinity Greenwich Peninsula (from now on HT as that takes just too much writing!) what they love about HT, what they wish to change about HT and how they think we should ‘be’ in the future as christian community on the Peninsula.

There have been overwhelming common threads, although it is fair to say that there is not one model that will ft everyone. In the main there is general agreement that meeting on a Sunday morning at 11am just does not work for most people. Most of this community disappear at the weekend and those who belong to HT can only make that time every 3 or 4 weeks.

In addition I have heard people say they are too busy and that they do not ever have space to simply be with God and hear God speak into their lives. ‘There is no space to grow or feed my spirituality’ is a comment that struck a chord with me.

From December we will trial a new pattern for 3 months:
Sunday – 6pm contemplative service in the school
Wednesday 730pm meal, sharing bread & wine, and chat in ‘the vicarage’
Friday 730am Prayer and breakfast in ‘the vicarage’ (which I hope will move to the coffee shop)
in addition we will do things in both the coffee shop and the local pub such as pub theo and other things that raise our profile so that we can be a blessing and a support to this community.

None of us think we have the exact right pattern yet … but we are all keen to make a start and try something different for this space. This may or may not be the right pattern … but by trialling it I believe we will learn more about how we can be authentic christian community on this peninsula. I have to admit I am concerned with the attractional pattern we have developed … but I feel also that it is an important part of our process.

I feel privileged to be part of this group. I do not think there are many church leaders who have the privilege of being with a congregation who unanimously and actively are seeking to change so that they can engage both meaningfully and relevantly with the people of their community. I feel excited about what this change will bring. I feel daunted as I lead and encourage these people into we know not where.

so … again … watch this space…. pray with us as we dream of a way forward