Dear friends,

Wouldn't it be terrible if everyone looked the same?  Wouldn't it be boring if everyone dressed the same, drove the same make and model of car, spoke the same language?  As you can guess, I'm a great supporter of diversity.  I love it when I travel to foreign countries and the food is different, the customs are different, and maybe there's some distinctive feature of national dress.  I love it when I travel round our own country and hear the many different regional accents, and sometimes a different vocabulary.  (I remember once a certain Shropshire Church Secretary telling me he was "mithered about his truffing!"  Ask me if you don't know, and I'll tell you!)  Equally, I think it is wonderful that there are so many different denominations within the Christian family.  Like many others I rejoice in what the Swanwick Declaration of Unity in 1987 called a 'legitimate diversity'.  It's good that the many denominations have their own ways of worship and witness, of service and outreach - it shows that Christianity is alive and active in the world today.

Back in August there was a discussion on a television programme about another programme that was concerned with renovating buildings.  The remark was made that there was no point in renovating a church because no one goes to church any more these days. 

How wrong that presenter was!  Not only are there more people going to Church on a Sunday than there are going to football matches on a Saturday, but there are so many different churches that can be attended.

As we give thanks for our brothers and sisters in Christ let us also give thanks for our own Church and feel glad to be part of it.  Let's prove that television presenter wrong and, as the Bible encourages us, "let's not give up the habit of meeting together."

September sees many of us back after the holidays, and the start of a lot of new activity.  Let's underpin everything we do with prayer and give thanks for the support we can give to, and receive from each other as we meet for worship and fellowship.

Best wishes to you all,