You will be glad to know that we are well settled in at our new house, and it really feels like we are in the country. (see picture)  

We are having to get used to so many sights and sounds, not to forgetting the odd, rather horrendous smells, that sometime waft our way as muck is spread on the numerous fields in our locality.   

There are moments of unpredictability too.  We can be out walking one day, and the fields are fine, then the next, there will be hundreds of sheep appear in the field, seemingly out of nowhere and overnight.  Therefore, Dexy will have to be on a lead the whole time.  Don’t even get me started about the signs that appear saying danger bull in field! That sign can make you feel very alert. 

This seems to be a time of year of being prepared, will lots of spreading, ploughing, and I assume, soon enough planting. And it never seems to stop, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, there were farmers and workers out and about tending to animals, they all need fed.   

It seems that there is an order to all of this, and each step needs to be undertaken to ensure the success of the next.   

As we move forward in faith, both personally and as a church, we should maybe take a leaf out of the farmer’s books.  

Are we doing the necessary groundwork as we make our plans for personal and church growth?  Are we doing the hard work before we plant something new? 

For all the new things that we want to achieve, we must ensure that they have the best chance to take root, to grow into something healthy and strong. 

Yes, that might take some hard work, maybe to sacrifice some things, and even put up with a few things that challenge us and make us feel a bit uncomfortable (back to the smells above).  But the results will be worth it. 

I am hoping that 2026 will be a year of further growth for our church, but we also need to ensure that we are doing the groundwork to ensure that everything we do has the best possible chance to grow. 

God bless 

Your friend and minister 

Alan