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Thoughts from the vicar...

I am writing this article ahead of the Shell Corner Partnership Annual General Meeting which is to be held at Olive Hill Primary School next week. Two key objectives of the partnership are better community cohesion and the regeneration of the Shell Corner community.
Community cohesion is a strange modern term that has at its heart a desire for better relationships between people of different backgrounds and circumstances in the workplace, in the schools and within neighbourhoods.
Community cohesion is an important part of the churches mission which recognises the image of God in the faces of all of her parishioners. One of the key speakers at the Annual General Meeting next week will be Steve Sparrow from the Dudley Borough Interfaith Network and he will stress the importance of good relationships across the different faith groups of our community. If you are interested in this aspect of our community life then do visit the website www.dbinterfaith.org.uk http://www.dbinterfaith.org.uk to find out more.
St Paul's makes an important contribution towards community cohesion by offering the Church Hall to many different groups across the community. I am delighted that the Halesowen Asian Elderly Association is the latest users of St Paul's Church Hall. This provides us with the opportunity to offer hospitality and serve the community in a new way. It means that we get to know one another more deeply and that can only be something that benefits the community as a whole. It is not always easy to meet people from other sections of our community, but this new arrangement offers a wonderful opportunity to do so.
The vision for St Paul's Church that has recently been adopted by the Church Council speaks about the church being here to live, to love and to serve the community of Blackheath. The provision of a newly refurbished Church Hall is perhaps one of the clearest signs of service that we can offer to the community and it shows that we mean business which is great.
I cannot let this opportunity pass without expressing our sadness and condolences following the sudden death of our organist Les Postlethwaite. Les was a great friend to St Paul's and had played the organ here for many years. As we celebrate his life and gifts shared so freely with us so we celebrate that he now rests in the Christian faith that he held so dear. Do remember Dora, his wife in your prayers as she mourns the loss of Les.
It was a delight earlier this month to witness the ordination of the Reverend Carol Christensen as priest in the Church of England. We are very fortunate to have Carol with us and we look forward to the development of this new ministry.
Finally, I just want to say something about my forthcoming sabbatical break. The policy of the Diocese of Birmingham is to permit clergy to take a three month period of absence from the day job every seven years and this is an opportunity to rest, spend time with family, pray, read, study a little and generally to take stock. With Bishop David's permission I shall be leaving the parish in the capable hands of Ann and Carol with effect from 25th July to 31st October inclusive. During this period I shall be unavailable to undertake any of my usual duties. You will of course continue to be in my prayers as I trust I shall be in yours and I look forward to seeing you once again when I pick up the reigns in November.
With every blessing,
Revd Mike Sermon, Vicar