Farewell to the Jacksons – June 2017

After nearly 5 years with us Sunday 25th June 2017 marked the end of Nick & Pam’s ministry at St James, with Nick taking his final services before they retire to the South coast. This was followed by a well attended Hog roast lunch with pudding. In true tradition cake was present on the menu too! 

After the service Nick and Pam were presented with various cards and gifts from the congregation. We wish them all the very best for the future, and thank them for sharing their ministries during their time with us. We will miss them.

 

 

 

 

For those who were not in church we have recorded the full service, except the hymns. It is split into these two files.

Part1. Duration 01:07:30

Part2. Duration 00:13:02

 

 

Goodbye, and thanks for the Motorbike!

I didn’t expect to be writing the item for the front of the News Sheet this month but the staff suggested it was a good idea, so here it is! My first official day of retirement started with an early alarm and addressing the Reading Christian Network at 8am! I am breaking myself in gently.

 Pam and I found the service last Sunday amazing and moving, for many different reasons. It was fitting that Sue and Jeremy should lead it, as they were the Church Wardens at my interview back in May 2012. As a church we have travelled forward since then: the roof is fixed (for 25 years at least), we have monthly women’s and men’s groups, LiFT and several new house groups. Linda is the only remaining member of the staff I inherited (thank you for staying!); Becki and Sam are new, and Jane became our curate.

 We have been overwhelmed by your generosity and your kind words, both spoken and written in our cards. I look forward to my ‘driving experience’ (Aston Martin or Ferrari – hmm… a hard choice!) and to establishing our apple trees in our new garden in due course. Not forgetting my shed or ‘ man-cave’ once we have planned how to arrange the garden. Thank you so much.

But I wanted to thank you too for the motorbike. For those who weren’t in church on Sunday, Frank Box brought in a lawn mower and Peter Lord rode in his Harley Davidson! That may well be a first at St James. But I was excited that both my words about whether we wanted to be a ‘maintenance or missional’ church had been heard, and the challenge of the motorbike had been grasped. Mission to our community and beyond is risky, but it is what we are built for. Go for it!

With our love and thanks

Nick and Pam Jackson