At the end of November I went to the north to visit my frail and ageing parents.  It was a bit of a busman's holiday as I managed to fit in visits to four of our great English cathedrals - Lincoln (where I was ordained priest), Durham ("the finest cathedral on planet earth bar none"), Carlisle and Ripon.  I also called in at Hexham Abbey on the way to Vindolanda near to Hadrian Wall.  By the way, what is the connection between Father David and Hexham Abbey?  The answer is not; as a "friend" suggested that they are both "old and decrepit".  With friends like that. . . . !

It was a most refreshing and uplifting experience to attend Choral Evensong in Durham Cathedral on the Feast Day of St. Cecilia, the Patron Saint of Music and Musicians.  It's simply wonderful just how restorative and regenerating good worship can be.  It's also good to be ministered unto rather than all the time "doing" the ministering.

It was also a busman's holiday in another way in that I managed to do some serious reading.  I purchased Archdeacon Bob Jackson's new book - "The Road to Growth - towards a thriving Church" and couldn't put it down.  Some from our United Benefice heard the good Archdeacon give a presentation to clergy and laity from the Colchester Area earlier this year - it was one of the most encouraging, entertaining and memorable days of the year.  Before being called to the ministry Archdeacon Bob was a Civil Servant working for the Government as a Statistician - he has now used his number crunching skills to write a most readable report on how the Church can get back onto the road to growth.

Somehow I feel it in my priestly bones that 2006 will be a time of greater growth for our church locally.  There are a number of signs or green shoots that make me confident in making this bold prediction, nay prophecy.  How encouraging it is to see a good number of new faces in the congregation at St. Mary's.  Our Evening Worship at All Saints' is also a potential source of greater growth, for example, two years ago the Advent Carol Service produced a congregation of disappointing size when only 23 people turned up - this last Advent saw a doubling of that congregation when 54 people came along.  The whole service was greatly enhanced by the presence of the St. Mary's choir under the skilled and talented direction of Caroline Strange and Desmond Wood at the organ.  What a wonderful handmaiden of worship is music.  On the feast of St. Nicholas our United Benefice presented no fewer than sixteen candidates to Bishop Christopher for the sacrament of Confirmation.  Many of our Confirmation candidates are already ministering as Servers at the altar - having been carefully and prayerfully trained for this important ministry by John Driffield.

Sincere thanks to Sarah Openshaw for producing and delivering a most excellent and exciting confirmation course for the young people - already Sarah is on the look out for the next batch of confirmands from both of our two united parishes!  I am always thrilled by the excitement and enthusiasm shown by Jane Goodchild and all her helpers as they work with the youngsters in the Sunday Club.  I also think that of all the parishes in which I have ministered the Ecumenical spirit of co-operation between the various Christian Denominations is stronger here than I have ever experienced before.  This is altogether good and encouraging - the popular monthly Prayer Breakfast is the most recent expression of our Unity in Christ.

Anne Hackworth and her new Broderers' Guild are hard at work producing new fabrics and vestments to enhance the worship.  An icon or two would also be a lovely addition and an aid to worship!  Phyllis Fane has done a wonderful job in covering the celebrant's chair in All Saints' sanctuary, which is always so beautifully cared for and adorned with glorious flowers.  The Flower Guilds of our two churches create some stunning designs.  We are also becoming more and more outward looking - it is good to know that significant sums of money have been sent from our United Benefice to such charities as The Children's Society, Children in Distress and Christian Aid, among others.  Further - I wonder if  God is calling anyone from Feering and Kelvedon to serve Him in the ordained and sacred ministry?

Yes, these are exciting times for Christ's Church and the best is yet to come.  There is nothing more wonderful or life-enhancing than a living relationship with Jesus who alone can transform all our lives for the good.  So let us all pray for the success and strengthening of Christ's mission and ministry in this United Benefice.  Let us all work together for the extension of Christís Kingdom in this place - expect great things to happen for look, "the fields are already white for the harvest".  Let us, with God's help, make 2006, truly a year of the Lord.  Let us look and work towards Fresh Expressions of His Love, His Life, His Joy and His Peace.

I firmly believe, in the words of John Henry Newman, that "Growth is the only evidence of life".

Early in 2006 the bells will be taken out of St. Mary's tower in order to be re-tuned and re-hung in a new bell frame in the tower.  We shall then, with the addition of two new bells, have a full octave.  John Elliott and his team have worked tremendously hard towards this project and it is now all coming to fruition and fulfilment.  So, as the bells are returned to ring out with joy once more later this year - let this be a symbol of the new life and growth that the Lord is willing for His church and urging us towards, calling us all to do greater things in His Holy Name.

Let me end this letter with a prayer entitled Venturing in Mission, which I have slightly adapted for local needs.  I found this prayer at St. David's cathedral in the far southwest of Wales - I love its Celtic cadences and its freshness and relevance, which beautifully combines in its lovely words a healthy balance between old and new.  Do pray this prayer often as together we venture out into a new year on the pilgrim path along The Road to Growth.

With New Year Blessings,
FATHER DAVID