Diocese of Liverpool archdeacons’ visitation news Spring 2019 - issue 17 Journeying Together on the Rule of Life It is a great joy each year to gather as Churchwardens, Clergy, Sidespersons, PCC members, and others who support our church life. The annual visitation services are a legal formality and a chance to celebrate together. Last year Bishop Paul launched the Rule Serving our community is a way in which of Life to help us be better followers of people experience the love of the church Jesus. It is an answer to the simple question, through our act of service. what do disciples do? And if we could all be Giving generously has to be a key piece – encouraged to do these things, would we be and we have many generous givers of finance, better disciples? time and talents – but this needs to be At this stage some people will still be saying, continually taught and understood. what Rule of Life? Others might complain they The Rule of Life is not everything about the have heard too much about it. The question Christian faith, but if we all took it seriously, is are we all doing it? The idea is simple it would strengthen the life and effectiveness concerning an inner journey of Pray, Read of our churches and increase the blessings in Learn – combined with an outer journey of our communities. Tell, Serve and Give. So as we gather, we rejoice and give thanks As I visit churches I get the impression that for all the blessings that we have received and About the Rule of Life in some churches perhaps relatively few will commit ourselves to being better disciples and be following all aspects of the Rule of Life. with God’s help entering into the Rule of Life, In our Visitation News we offer a brief I hope that the visitations will help us all feel teaching and helping others to do the same. guide to the six words of the Rule of encouraged and challenged by this to help Life and how you, and your sisters and us build a bigger church making a bigger brothers in Christ can be supported on difference. your journey on the Rule of Life. On the next couple of pages we look at each of Do we have a regular pattern of daily prayer the six words – Pray, Read, Learn: Tell, and bible reading? I try and say the daily morning and evening prayer 6 days a week Serve, Give – to help you understand and find this structure really helpful to me. what they are about and how they apply to your life. And you can find more Learn is asking about being part of a course resources to help you as a disciple of or small group in which our faith can develop. Christ online at www.ruleoflife.org.uk Churches with courses and groups are much more likely to grow. They will also be better at looking after each other. Produced and printed by Tell is about creating the culture and From left to right: The Ven. Roger Preece – confidence in which explaining what the Archdeacon of St Helens and Warrington, The Ven. Pete Spiers – Archdeacon of Knowsley and Sefton, Christian faith means to us, becomes as The Ven. Mike McGurk – Archdeacon of Liverpool and natural as speaking with passion about our The Ven. Jennifer McKenzie – Archdeacon of Wigan other interests. and West Lancashire. www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters Called to Read – getting into a regular pattern of Bible reading The second premise of the spiritual disciplines that the Rule of Life is founded on is reading. Specifically reading the Bible. It is clear that by engaging with the Bible texts we can start to understand what God wants from us in our lives. Through the Bible we gain comfort, challenge and inspiration. The challenge to read comes in two forms. Firstly we are challenged to get in the habit of reading. You may already have a daily pattern of Bible reading. That’s great. Carry on with your daily readings, your reading notes, your online pattern of reading. Whatever works for you? If you don’t have a regular pattern of reading then try to start. You could start by reading the Gospel of Mark or you could find another pattern of Bible reading. The other challenge is to join with others in Reading the book of Jonah over the summer. During this time we will be putting together challenges and encouragements for us to Called to Pray – read that book across our diocese. It will be great to see you involved. the starting point You can find plenty of guides, hints and resources to help you read the Bible at for the Rule www.ruleoflife.org.uk Why not encourage of Life others to read a book this year? When he launched the Rule of Life, Bishop Paul was keen to keep it simple for all to be involved in. Prayer is simple but some people can find Called to Learn – we learn the idea of prayer daunting. Yet we have a great resource to help us in the best when we are together words of the prayer that Jesus taught us, the Lord’s Prayer. Most people of new Christians. We learn from the have a version of the Lord’s Prayer experience and depth of knowledge of committed to memory. It gives us a those who have been on their faith journey rhythm and pattern for all our prayer. for a while. So we need opportunities to It frames a time of prayer with God. learn. So the simple call to prayer is to pray Research carried out by the national the Lord’s Prayer every day. If you do church made it clear that if a church that already then great. But when you provided opportunities for people to learn do, pray it as part of the worldwide then they grew in faith. The research also communion of Christians who daily lift showed that churches grew in numbers their hearts to God. Simply start your when they provided these opportunities. prayer by saying “together with all So as individuals we challenge you to find disciples in the Diocese of Liverpool opportunities to learn and grow. As church and across the world, as our saviour leaders we encourage you to find or create taught us so I pray Our Father...” opportunities for others to learn, grow and As leaders in the church you are in a develop. How you do it is a choice for you, Join in with Bishop Paul praying strong position to help others to learn your clergy and your church community. and find other resources to help more. Learning is done best when we That you do it is important for the growth you follow the call to pray at learn together. People look to the wisdom of your church helping more people know www.ruleoflife.org.uk And if you of the older generation to be a role model Jesus. are sorted with your prayer life then and framework for our faith. They look to who can you call and encourage the younger generation for their spirit and You can find plenty of ways to learn at in prayer? energy. 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