Rivertown United Reformed Church

I have the pleasure of being the first to write the ‘Minister’s Letter’ just a couple of months since Greg moved to South Shields and married Adrienne. A number of us went to Adrienne’s and Greg’s blessing and their smiles still go from ear to ear!

The Elders agreed to take it in turns and step into Greg’s shoes and write a letter for the magazine. Whether we are as eloquent or as evocative as Greg is left to you to decide. As always, and especially now, the Elders will be grateful for any feedback and even more thankful for your support in the coming months. I am reminded of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 12:12-31) where he said ‘now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.’ This passage talks of the many parts of the body and that they are all important. Using the body to describe our faith and our community together in Christ has, I am sure, been the source for many a sermon. Reading this in the context of ‘losing’ Greg our minister brings to mind how a body would operate with out a major part. How did you see Greg? What part of the body did you see him as? Some would say the heart - the beat of Rivertown that ensured all parts of our fellowship received support and teaching as we grew; or maybe the head – seeing Greg as the leader to guide us, perhaps even to see for us; possibly the skeleton – keeping everything together!

Whatever part of the body you choose it is likely to be an important one, one which would be at best difficult to continue without some deficiency. The good news is losing a Minister is not that serious – God will provide. Well we have been here before and some of our fellowship has experienced a ‘vacancy’ a number of times. Indeed we had to wait 3 years between Doug and Greg. But we are different now. Greg has been a great teacher to us - we have grown in faith and fellowship. Worship teams have served us well and continue to bring new ways of praise into our services. Yes, we have lost Greg as minister, friend, teacher but his legacy is how he has left us. Our challenge is to use our own strengths to continue in faithful worship to God and to the caring of God’s people.

God’s plan for Greg took him away from Rivertown, God’s plan for Rivertown is to bring a different situation to bear. Following on the analogy - when the body identifies a problem, for example a cut, it reacts and starts a self-healing process. Different parts of the body do things out of the ordinary – the blood clots to heal the cut. As a body Rivertown has the same challenge – to work together and compensate for Greg, to the best of our abilities. I don’t know how you feel about that but I am personally ready to meet the challenge, to listen to what God wants me to do in the knowledge that help and assurance is at hand – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28). How exciting is that!

Listen to God and see what is in store for you and be joyful in expectation now and in the future months (years) we are without Minister and beyond - into the years when we do.

               Chris Byrne