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Is your cup half full or half empty?
Is your cup half full or half empty? Your answer, we’re told, will indicate if you are an optimist or a pessimist.
It’s fashionable to knock churches by declaring their decline. Of course, there are some people who used to go Sunday by Sunday but who, for whatever reason, now find other things to do. And yet new people are coming all the time!
There are some who are coming for the very first time. Never been to church before and, because of some particular stage they’re at in their lives, come to find out what it’s all about.
Some who are “new” are in fact returning after a number of years away. Life has changed – there’s a bit more time, or more need, or more questions – and they re-join to meet their needs.
Some come because their friends or neighbours come.
Some, sadly, had a bad experience of church previously. Thankfully they’ve come back to notice the changes.
For the last four years the Church of England has launched Back to Church Sunday on the last Sunday of September to make it as easy as possible for people to come back to their parish churches. The people at St Andrew’s and St Mary’s are preparing to welcome everyone who comes. So why not come and give us a try – you can be sure you’ll be warmly welcomed. And, incidentally, prove the optimists right – our churches are half-full, and getting better!
David Ainge
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