The focus of my training these last few months has been very much pastoral. The Local Training Group has been looking at the questionnaire results as part of the process to ensure that our parish is ready to make the best use of me in helping William Lang once I am ordained in 2009.

I've just completed my sector placement with the Chaplain at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. It was a totally fascinating experience and one I shall write about more fully in the future. In an environment caring for people from birth to death or at times in their lives when they are in pain and in a strange place, the opportunity to observe spiritual and pastoral care being given in such a multi-faith community was humbling. I took away a lot to reflect upon including possible parallels with a parish based ministry.

Our lectures have been looking at the theory of pastoral care and theology and people's differing needs at the various points in their lives. With a trained counsellor we studied various character types and started to gain an understanding of personality and had sessions on the management of both conflict and change. We have also spent quite some time looking at collaborative ministry and what that means for this parish. We also looked at whether the church is being effective in the way it currently reaches out to and serves the whole parish?

Time and again the New Testament metaphor of the church as a body composed of many parts was mentioned as a helpful image. I find it helpful to think of different people with different gifts and skills all making a contribution to a dynamic, living and growing community - not a community that can stand still rooted in times gone past, nor a community that is served just by one or two "special" people. As in any true community we should all be looking out for and caring for one another according to our skills and abilities.

The first church was born out of the Apostles' witness and their teaching was seen as the foundation of the church's existence. Then came the "Seven" who were called to help the Greek speaking congregations in Jerusalem and finally Paul who was commissioned to take the Gospel to the Gentiles and who founded many churches throughout Asia Minor.

Throughout history the church has had to adapt old patterns for new situations. One point made by quite a number of people in the parish is the urgent need "to do something" about the way the church reaches out to or engages with children and young parents. Just like the church of two thousand years ago, we may need to change the way we organise what we currently understand as church. We may need to rethink times and places. We may need to take positive steps to encourage active participation from these families and children. Nothing is discussed let alone agreed but my idle musings have included getting them involved in the services, changes to the musical side of worship, providing programs for them in the evenings/school holidays and planning a Children's Church or Sunday Club. All this will take time and effort. Now, as then, there is a need for apostles, equipped by the Holy Spirit, to be ready to take the message of the church out to the community that surrounds the core of committed believers.