Last month’s blog on supporting families through times of change got Senior Connector, Barrie Voyce, thinking about moving deeper in our journeys as disciples.
Many of you will know that I became a Christian as a young man, having grown up in a very non-religious family. Within a few weeks of my first encounter with church, Tim, the local vicar had met me for a coffee and a chat, and seeing me at a lose end after the service invited me to the vicarage for Sunday lunch. I’m not sure quite what Stephanie, his wife thought of me turning up unannounced but she welcomed me none the less.
This became a regular occurrence, with a post service roast followed by hanging out with the family, including their SEN son, Ben, who took quite a liking to me. Soon I was asked to baby-sit Ben, and also to help out at Baptism services and with an event for recently Baptised children and their families. Tim also invited me to join a new house group he was running, exploring Christian basics, and then considering confirmation.
We continued to meet for coffee, talking about life in all its fullness, but looking back I can see how Tim was helping me explore my gifts and calling, encouraging me to pursue what God had in store. When the church started to plan a new youth group, I was eager to get involved. Soon I was co-leading with Tim, and then leading on my own with him supporting me from the side-lines. We explored training with the Diocese Youth Advisor. Less than four years after my first tentative steps into the church, I left, heading to Bible College to study Youth Ministry. Tim presented me with a Bible during a youth-led service. It sits by my desk, inscribed by Tim with the words “presented to Barrie Voyce on the occasion of his elevation to the status of SERVANT.”
The time, love, and investment that Tim put into my life is humbling. To look back and recall the words, laughs and encounters we had together truly formed who I am today.
As we think about ministry to children, young people and families, we can all too easily get caught up in numbers of.., events doing…, groups for… We need to remind ourselves that the real growth into numerical, its about depth of relationship with God – helping others to become closer with Jesus, and more like him.
Tim embodied that commission from Christ “Go and make disciples” through his commitment to seeing me grow into the person God had created me to be. Like Tim, I try to do the same.
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