Aldridge Parish Church Men's Weekend Away - November 2004 - Feedback
  
     

It was good to be at Glenfall House just outside Cheltenham over last weekend (12-14th.November) where some 40 men from Aldridge Parish came together for a time of worship, teaching and fellowship.
  The weekend was led by Rector Richard and the excellent teaching was given by Curate Mike. Under the heading of “The Greatest Hat Trick” we looked together at relationships in three dimensions. 
Mike challenged us to look at our relationship with God, with our family and friends and our relationship with the world. There were five periods of teaching starting after dinner on Friday evening and ending at Sunday lunchtime.  Each slot was either preceded or concluded by a time of worship and prayer.

  

Saturday afternoon was free time and whilst Cheltenham shops and Gloucester Docks appealed to some, the beautiful sunny weather enticed a group of our more energetic brothers to enjoy one of the many walks that are available in the environs of Glenfall House.
 It was good to have some members of AYF with us and we all saw the two-way benefits that their presence gave to the weekend. The weekend concluded after lunch on Sunday with a simple service of Holy Communion.  Every one agreed that it had been a good time of reflection, fellowship and refreshment, new friendships had been made and old ones deepened.
 
Our sincere thanks go to Mike for the superb teaching, to Oli for leading the worship and Richard for giving up time to be with us and to lead our time together.
 
 Ken Kinnear

  
 
  

 

 During the weekend of 12th – 14th November, about 40 of us men from the three Aldridge Anglican churches , and one man from the Anglican Church in Clayhanger, went off to Cheltenham for the weekend.
 
This was the fourth such weekend that I have been on, and each one been special and so worth while.
We go to a beautiful country house (pictures on the website) owned by the Diocese of Gloucester and share fellowship and teaching together.

We arrive for a meal during Friday evening and then we meet together afterwards for a time of worship, prayer and an introduction to the weekend.		  
This year Mike Jones was our speaker and Richard, our Rector, led each one of the sessions before Mike spoke. On the Saturday morning, after breakfast we had the first of our main sessions and following coffee, we went into the second.
 
After lunch the afternoon was ours to do with as we would and then after an evening meal we had another session of worship, teaching, and sharing.
Sunday morning saw a repeat timetable of Saturday really, and then after lunch we had a time of sharing and then communion before setting off home.
 
Mike took the theme this year of ‘The Greatest Hat Trick' and it was a challenge to us men to see how our relationship between God; ourselves; and our service to others were balanced. Mike took the image of a triangle and (up) was God; (in) was us, and (out) was our evangelism/work for God/other people.		  
          God (up)



   in                           out		 It was very interesting to try to get your mind round this, and realise that it is an ever changing picture, depending on our particular circumstance of life and our personal/family needs. Interesting too to note that when our relationship with the 'up' was as right as we can get it, that's when it affected most the other two!
We were asked to mark ourselves out of 10 where we thought we stood in relation to the three issue points and then to discuss this with each other in small groups and to try to talk to someone who may have had a higher score on any one of the three to find out how and why!
We had times to discuss this together in a large group and several times during the weekend, we had the opportunity of breaking into smaller groups to discuss; to share and to pray.
 
It was very special to be on this weekend with men from the other churches and there was a great sense of fellowship and unity which has to be of great benefit to all of us, and to the work of God in our community.
  
It was a privilege to be with men who were willing to open up their hearts and to discuss in a non threatening way what God is saying to them and how He is working in their lives. We had some wonderful times of sharing and praying and all in all the weekend was of great benefit.
  
My thanks to Mike & to Richard for running the weekend and to Cliff Lavender & Ken Kinnear for organising it so well.
  
I would recommend this time away together without reservation; as indeed any weekend where all or part of the church family can be together. We look forward to APC family weekend away in June 2005 and hope as many of the church family that can, is there.
  
Rob Cook