From Now On

— Kirsty is operations officer at St James in the City. She was born in Liverpool but had a gap of 17 years living down south before she came back to marry a scouser. She is very confused where her north/south allegiance should lie… —

I know the last blog post was about ‘our transition period’, and we don’t want to harp on about it, but there really has been a drastic amount of change at STJ over the last few months. Building work, temporary accommodation and an ever-revolving staff team to name but a few.

But finally, it all seems to be settling down. Jude has returned, Matt our new worship pastor is on the horizon and we will hopefully be back in Church before we know it.

It almost feels like a new beginning, the start of something new. This is exciting and yes, a little scary. Our new building will hopefully give us the chance to start new ministries, reach new people and to make an even bigger impact on our community. New staff members and interns will bring different skills and a new vision for the leadership team. September we will see a new wave of students, ready to use their gifts to serve Liverpool and STJ.

I don’t know about you, but I am more than happy to jump on the ‘Greatest Showman’ craze that is sweeping the nation. The songs are everywhere, and I for one am not complaining. Whilst listening (again) to the soundtrack, the final song, “From Now On”, started to take on a different meaning, especially in the light of our building work at St James and our ‘new beginning’ 

A man learns who is there for him
When the glitter fades and the walls won’t hold

‘Cause from then, rubble
One remains
Can only be what’s true
If all was lost
Is more I gain
‘Cause it led me back
To you

From now on
These eyes will not be blinded by the lights
From now on
What’s waited till tomorrow starts tonight
Tonight
Let this promise in me start
Like an anthem in my heart
From now on
From now on

(lyrics to ‘From Now On’, The Greatest Showman)

The ‘glitter’ has long faded, but our building isn’t quite ‘rubble’, and as far as I am aware, no one is planning to join the circus. (Does anyone actually know where Jude has been the last few months, perhaps he was really practising his trapeze act.)

But I do think this song has a point, even if the one I am making is slightly different from the film. When things get tough and we are forced to start again, when your circus burns to the ground and it looks like all is lost, it actually reminds us ‘who all this is for’. For STJ this isn’t our family, biological or the circus kind, but Jesus.

STJ’s new beginning, the start of chapter two, is a perfect chance for us to stop and remember who all this is for

‘But when I stop
And see you here
I remember who all this was for’

The Bible talks a lot about the importance of stopping, being still and refocusing on God. It also gives us promises that wherever we stand and whatever we face we are not alone, our God goes before us:

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God

Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging

2 Timothy 4: 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength

As Christians, as a Church, we have the biblical promise that we are not in this new beginning alone. God goes with us, He is our refuge and He is our strength. This isn’t a promise that it will be easy, but a promise that we don’t go alone.

In the film, they thought they had lost it all, but from the rubble grew something even more exciting and even more beautiful. New beginnings can be scary, but right now I am excited and I am expectant.

My prayer for STJ and for you is that God continues to go before us, continues to uphold us. That it never becomes about being the greatest show, but this new beginning is a chance to refocus on God. That it becomes a place where the impossible comes true, where no one is ashamed of all their scars and where the outcast is always welcome. We pray that from now on these biblical promises continue being an anthem in our hearts. Amen

Ps runaways and bearded ladies are always welcome at STJ

Kirsty Fazakerley

*blog is about the sentiment of the film rather than the historical character the film is loosely based on.

Transition

— Ed is curate at St James in the City and moved to Liverpool with his wife Zoë in 2017. Ed has fast become a central member of the local cricket team and hails from Oxford, via Bristol. —

The last few months have been a strange time for us at St James. Jude went off on a study break after Easter Sunday and has been busy slogging away on his book. Neil and Marg left us a few weeks later to move up to Blundellsands and start a new chapter of their ministry. Finally, Debs has also moved on as she prepares to start ordination training in Bristol from September.

Meanwhile, we have started our building project and have had to move into St James’ House for our services. Our students have been doing exams and some are also moving on to pastures new. We celebrated as Bishop Paul led our confirmation service and have started to look forward to our church plant in two years time with a sermon series on church planting in Acts.

In the midst of all this, the staff team has worked incredibly hard to pick up the slack and to keep church running as smoothly as it has. We have grown closer as a group and everyone has stepped up to the challenge, especially our interns Beth, Isaac and Cherry. I’ve often joked that it’s ‘all been fine’ because I have just done what Kirsty said, but there is no doubt that without her it would have been impossible to keep on top of everything.

However, what has been most obvious has been God’s faithfulness to us. We could not have asked for the building project and the services in St James’ House to go any more smoothly. It is clear that he has been with us in this time of transition, guiding us and helping us by his Spirit.

(Note, if you disagree with how well you think everything has gone, feel free to let us know!)

The Church of England’s set readings are currently taking us through the book of Joshua. This book is all about a group of people in transition. It starts with God commissioning Joshua following the death of Moses and with Israel entering the promised land; at the end, Joshua dies and the tribes renew the covenant before each other and God.

In the midst of all the changes that Israel goes through, the constant is the guiding hand of God (when the Israelites listen) and his goodness and faithfulness to his people. As the story continues through Judges and the other history books, the pattern continues: God is the constant through the changing whims and fortunes of the people of Israel. As one Psalm puts it:

‘O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever’ (136:1).

We are in the midst of the appointment process for a new vicar; our new worship pastor,  Matt Courtney,  will be joining us very soon, September we will have plenty of new members, especially students and this will all be hosted in a new(ish) building. St James’ is an ever-changing church, because of our demographic and because we try to seek out what God is doing without relying too heavily on the past. But through it all, let us remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8) and that he is our goal, our source, and our purpose.

We are not defined by our situation, or by the number of staff, old and new. We are defined by the steadfast love of Jesus Christ, the love that endures forever.

Ed Down