Malcolm Potts November 6th 2016 ~ Response to Change

At last something resembling summer has arrived in Perth and along with summer comes some change for us at St Philips.  Last Sunday after church Liz Pemberton handed the Parish Council her resignation as our children's minister.  What a great colleague Liz has been and what a wonderful, growing and consolidating job she has done.  Gracious, committed, talented and a safe pair of hands.One of the truly valuable things about our staff team is that we enjoy one another, appreciate one another and complement each other in our different approaches and diverse personalities.  We all naturally connect with our niches.  We really like each other.  Liz will be missed, not just for what she does but who she is to us.Liz has been considering change for some time.  She has been in close communication with me as we have considered her pathway.  I am thoroughly supportive of her in this move.  It is Liz's intention to add to her teaching role at JSR Anglican College with a post as a curriculum writer with the Anglican Schools Commission.Please pray for Liz, Neil, Cassie and Hannah in whatever this change means for them.  There will undoubtedly be challenges and opportunities.People's response to change is varied but it is fair to say that many people do not like it much.  What is your response to change?  What was Daniel's?  No-one brought more change to the world than Jesus of Nazareth!  He redefined for the Jewish nation and the whole world who God is and how we come into a saving relationship with him.  We see the response to his message: “Crucify him!”Liz's decision opens a doorway for us.  It is tempting to immediately panic and problem solve, even to crucify.  We don't plan to do that.  I am convinced that this move is good for Liz and therefore, under Christ's lordship, is good for us.  Would you commit with me to ‘not panic’ but pray, eyes fixed on Jesus, heart open to him.We obviously prioritise our children's ministry highly but is this a time for us to reflect more widely on our entire staff structure?Where should our priorities be for the next five years?I welcome your thoughts and prayerful reflections on our future.  Your welcome input will form part of our deliberations.Liz will be with us until January.  Feel free to honour and encourage her as she, and we, take next ministry steps.BlessingsMalcolm