The Rector Writes...
Dear Friends,
The time has come to say farewell in this my last epistle to Camborne Parish. I hope that I will have had the opportunity to say personal "Goodbyes" to many of you at my final services on Sunday 23rd, July but if not please accept this as a heartfelt "thank you" for the support and friendship that have been so widely and generously offered to me in my eight years in Camborne.
Moving on is never easy, especially when it means leaving many trusted and valued friends, but the anticipation of a fresh start is exciting and I am looking forward to the challenges of a very different "dual" role and a new context for ministering the Gospel. And, of course, I'm looking forward to living so much closer to my children than I do at present.
One of the joys of ministering in an Anglican parish is the fact that the job description, in so far as there is one, is not to be "Chaplain" to a congregation but Pastor to a community. So many doors open up for service and witness outside the confines of the Church; and this is an aspect of ministry in Camborne of which I've always tried to take full advantage. I have been graciously invited and warmly received by a number of organisations in the town, but my greatest efforts have gone into, and my greatest rewards come from, working alongside so many dedicated and professional folk at the New Connection and in our Church Infant and Junior Schools. It has been a privilege and a challenge to try to work out and apply what the Gospel means in such different contexts. In my new parishes, I don't expect to meet so many homeless people, nor will the schools I visit be "Church" ones, but the lessons I've learned will, I'm sure, stand me in good stead.
When I first visited Camborne on interview, the view across from the Church was of blackened ruins following the major fire where Aldi and its car park are now. There were many boarded-up shops and the place did have a feeling of forlorn neglect. I don't suppose that it was my arrival that was solely responsible for the transformation (!) but the town I leave is one that certainly appears more confident and prosperous. As Christians we are aware, though, that Regeneration is not simply a matter of outward appearance but of the heart, soul and spirit. It is this inner transformation that we long to see, people coming alive and realising their God-given potential. That is my prayer for Camborne and for the ongoing ministry of Camborne Church, that more and more will discover the regeneration brought about by God's Holy Spirit and will give glory to Him for their new life.
I'd love to be leaving Camborne without any regrets, but I am sorry to be leaving the Church without having completed the interior Remodelling, which is so greatly needed. I fully expected to see that through to a conclusion, but I shall have to content myself with coming back one day in the not-too-distant future to see the dream realised. The wheels have been grinding slowly over the past couple of years, but the process continues and the tenders for the work should soon be received, allowing grant-applications to be made for the remaining money needed. Once again physical and spiritual renewal will go hand-in-hand.
The last eight years have seen a mixture of sorrows and joys, pain and pleasure, hopes and fears and yet my memories of Camborne and its Church will always be fond ones. Thank you for sharing with me in so many ways the abundant life of God. I'm sure you haven't seen the last of me â€' after all I'm only moving an hour up the road and half my new job is "countywide". I hope that a number of you will be able to attend my licensing on September 11th at Stoke Climsland Church and I look forward to seeing you there â€' or simply popping in as you head off upcountry.
May God bless you all richly,