STOCKMAN'S "BEING WITH" SERIES IN FITZROY

It might be a few years since I have been so excited at being back in the pulpit after the summer break. Last winter I was not at full health for a few months and I now feel refreshed. I judge the state of the health by the fulness of my imagination and just now I am pumping not only ideas but working the follow through.

This up and coming year in Fitzroy might be shaping up to be one of our fullest yet. I am excited about our Sunday night programme that I blogged this last week. Biblical study, Christian thought, the arts and worship. In that Sunday night programme you can find the core character of Fitzroy.

In the mornings I am taking on a series that I think will be challenging, inspirational and hopefully energising in our mission and pastoral care. 

I have been taken over the past couple of years by the thinking and writings of Rev Samuel Wells. Wells is vicar of St Martin-In-The-Fields in London. Since 2005 he has also been dean of Duke Chapel in North Carolina and research professor of Christian ethics at Duke Divinity School. His book The Nazareth Manifesto has been influential in reassessing the importance of incarnation in mission followed by the books, Being With The Church and Being With The World.

My hope is that I can apply the theology and practice of Wells work with the mission of Fitzroy in a sermon series through September and at least early October. Who know, we might keep it going right through to Emmanuel comes at Christmas. 

I am going to launch this series on September 8th and would ask Fitzroy to make that a full attendance Sunday. If you want to know what Fitzroy is about then I invite you to give that Sunday a chance. The Sundays after that will see me preach on:

 

Being With Fitzroy (15th), 

Being With Belfast (in practice, as the Belfast Half marathon goes past our doors) (22nd), 

Being With The World (with our Uganda 2019 Team) (29th) and 

Being With The Other (featuring our brothers and sisters from Clonard Monastery) (Oct 5th)!

and our Harvest Service on October 20th will have guest speaker Jonny Hanson from Jubilee Farm who will tell us about Being With God's Creation

Oh there are many other things on my agenda for the next year - concerts, Conversations, Carol Services, 4 Corners Festival (looking amazing in the plans) etc etc. 

Watch this space…