To everyone in Woosehill, welcome! I am absolutely delighted that I get to be your minister here at Woosehill Church. Whether you already come to church, or you’re thinking about it, or haven’t been for a long time or perhaps ever, please know that you are very welcome and I can’t wait to see you and get to know you.
For those who don’t yet know me, I have been the curate at St Paul’s, St Nicholas and Woosehill since July 2020, meaning that I already know the area well and that this isn’t quite a brand new hello! Before being a curate, I trained for ordination at Ripon College Cuddesdon, as well as being a children’s worker for the 6 rural churches where I lived. I’m married to Richard, and we have 2 children and 2 dogs, so you may well see us walking the dogs through the lovely woods and fields that surround us. I love music and play the flute and I’m also learning the cello.
Inclusivity is at the very heart of the Gospel, it’s who Jesus is, it’s how he taught his disciples and us about who he was, about who God is, and about how we are meant to be. I know from the last 5 years of getting to know Woosehill that the way we are as an ecumenical church, as one that embraces a shared ministry that is both Anglican and Methodist, that we embody Jesus’ spirit of inclusivity and welcome. It’s one of the many reasons that I am so excited and looking forward to our next 5 years together.
These past 5 years have set us up well, and it means that whilst we could “hit the ground running” in terms of ministry at Woosehill, I’d really rather we didn’t! There is something special about taking our time together, about working out who we are as a church, about what’s important to us and what’s important to our local community. Equally important is the need to listen to where God is directing us next, what parts of our church life is God highlighting to us, and who are we missing?
A church is made up of people, all of us different, all of us precious, all of us unique. We come together that we may worship and serve God, and I am so pleased that God has brought us together to do just this in Woosehill.
May you know the love, peace and delight of God with you always.
Cara