New Adventures to come...
Our time at St Philips is nearing an end. Just a couple of days ago we found out that the house we are moving into for the next 3 years became available as of the 16th of December. A rushed pre-Christmas move is now being strategized in the Lockwood household! There’s a real sense of excitement too; there’s a sense of relief that we’ll be somewhere for a minimum of 3 years. Thus far we have moved 5 times in 6 years!There’s a sense of excitement around getting a regular monthly pay packet - for the first time in 6 years. There’s a sense of excitement about living 400 metres from the school, and 200 metres from Katherine’s sister and hubby who have two similar aged kids with another on the way.There’s also some sense of excitement for me in the journey God has me (and us as a family) on; we are taking over Willetton’s Church plant into Canning Vale as you may know. However what you mightn’t know is that Willetton was the Church of my youth and the Church I came back to as a young man and newly converted Christian seven years ago. In one sense it feels like the circle is being completed and, moreover, being catapulted into the new and ever expanding work of God’s Kingdom - a spiral if you like. It kind of feels right for me to be put into the new work of the same Church that nurtured, prayed and grew me in the faith as a child.However, as with many things there’s a flip side too. Cottesloe is without a doubt the best experience of Church and community I have had thus far. It’s been a place of rest and restoration for Katherine and I following our previous burnout. It’s been a place of real healing for us. It’s been a place of great hope towards a paradigm of Christian community where ministry flows out of deep, authentic and accountable gospel-centered relationships. St Philips has been a place of significant learning for me as a leader and minister of a Christian community too. And, under Mal and Cheryl, it’s also been a place of significant learning for me as a leader and minister in my family as husband and father.As our time at St Philips nears an end, on the 31st of December, please be assured as a community of our continuing deep thankfulness and gratefulness to you all, as people through whom we feel the deep, deep love of God for us.In the Adventure...