My younger daughter suggested the other day, as we were talking about changing the car, that we should have one with a registration OAP to celebrate my drawing a State Pension!

It doesn't seem possible that the years should go by so quickly, because I don't often feel as old as my actual age. Yet it does mean that my church ministry at Aston Tirrold is coming to a close and we all have changes to make both within the Church Community and the Centre for Reflection. Being static is not a helpful place to be on our personal spiritual journey, yet embracing change is not something we do naturally or easily. Journey implies movement and new horizons (though not necessarily physical in aspect) and challenges our assumptions and securities.

As part of that changing scene, the Centre Management Committee suggested last October that the Church consider the next stage of development of the Centre. It recommended taking on a part time paid staff resource and it was felt that, if possible, the appointment should commence before my retirement. As with all our plans and ideas, when everything falls into place and feels 'right', God is graciously adding his seal of approval and the work of the Kingdom grows and takes on a new dimension. The Elders met and recommended Becky Fisher, the current Director of Abingdon Christian Training Scheme, to be the new Co-ordinator and this was endorsed by a spontaneously called Church Meeting. Becky will have started by the time you receive this letter and I very much look forward to working with her for a few weeks. We are so grateful to Pat Hardcastle who has shouldered the booking and telephone contact with churches and individuals for the Centre for so long. Thank you Pat and of course to Audrey Spencer who organised the hosting until her recent illness.

For myself, six months 'sabbatical' will enable me to let go from ministry within the Church structure, take a break, and also find time to prepare for an ecumenical role ahead, which will be somewhat nomadic. From September I will be able to concentrate on and explore further the different ways of leading Quiet Days and Retreats for groups. I anticipate going to various venues around the country by invitation, hopefully returning occasionally to the Centre to lead days for some of our existing church connections.

My thanks for all the love, encouragement and support that has been given to me and to Gill over these last six years. It has been a privilege to add one or two different bricks to an already substantial inheritance from the past, where people had the courage to dissent and be different as they followed in the Way. My thanks to my predecessor, Gordon Harris, for opening up the possibilities and opportunity to serve and lead this community and to all the members and friends who were open to change and have travelled alongside me in whatever way. I hope to be able to express that more lucidly in the next few weeks on different occasions and at various services, beginning at the joint service at St Michael's during the week of Prayers for Christian Unity with my personal thanks to my Anglican colleague, Christopher Walker.

To all the readers of this newsletter who are now in far flung places, I hope that you will continue to support this very special church community in whatever way you can. Not only because of your links with the past, but because of the particular gift this quiet meeting place and its people will bring to the future growth of God's kingdom.

Grace and Love

Keith

It is a real joy to me to be able to introduce myself to you as the new Coordinator for the Centre for Refelction. I realise what a commitment everyone here is making in deciding to employ someone to oversee the development of the Centre and how much prayer has gone into making the choice of who that should be. I will do my utmost to fulfil the trust you are placing in me.

My previous post as Director of the Abingdon Christian Training Scheme had some similarities to this one in that I have been responsible for training events for local churches from Streatley to Oxford. In fact I have worked with Keith in the promotion of Quiet Days here for over three and a half years.

My biggest regret is to be joining you as Keith leaves and that I cannot be considered a replacement for him in any way. I certainly lack his ability to lead meditations and once bemoaned my lack of grace to him. "Ah Becky" he replied, "but you have enthusiasm!". Well I certainly have enthusiasm for the Centre and its work and I have a commitment to develop what has been started here so ably by Keith and the team. Please remember me and the Centre in your prayers - I will need your support.

With joy and enthusiasm.

Becky Fisher