And yes- of course. Church growth also means more people coming to Christ and coming to worship. Bottoms on pews are important. Evangelism by those gifted in it, prayer for growth, a community that is served by and appreciates the people of God, good quality, hospitable worship in warmth and comfort- all of those things will help draw people here. We have an ambitious five year vision which is an average Sunday attendance of  over 100 – that is 50% increase on 2013. Of course you win some and you lose some but the Gospel is for all and we must get better at offering it to all.

We also, like most village churches, have a congregation that dominates at the upper age range.  That is good and natural but it would be healthy to have a few more youngsters and a few more in the middle and that would reduce our average age a bit bringing new energy and ideas into the business of worshipping and building God’s Kingdom. We love what we do here but when we are all gone who will follow if we don’t teach them? So I’m going to ask older workers for Christ to adopt younger ones. I want to see apprentice refreshment makers, apprentice flower arrangers and cleaners, readers, singers –church wardens- everything. Our gifts are to be shared whether we are young, old and nobody has the right to reject anyone else’s gifts saying “we don’t need your help.” It isn’t your job or your church. It is Christ’s and he calls us ALL to work on HIS MISSION.

So that is our plan- and when I say “our plan” I and the PCC mean OUR plan – not just my plan or the PCC’s plan. Everyone can and should join in whether by taking on leadership of something, prayer, joining a study group or helping take assemblies. If it is God’s will that we grow this church then the body must pull together to do it.

We are the body of Christ ... The PCC and I hope and pray that you will be inspired by what we think God wants for this church. We pray that he shuts the door firmly on anything that is not his will and blesses the rest to bear his fruit in us and the world around us. Amen.