Last Sunday a full church was excited to welcome our new minister and lay worker, Rev. Rob and Carol Cotton. Mark Savill led worship in song and prayer before Trevor Williams read to us from Acts 2, the fellowship of believers, and John 21, Jesus reinstates Peter by thrice asking if he loved him.
District Chair, Rev. Helen Kirk, spoke of the different meanings of “love” as expressed in Greek “agape” and “filia.” Jesus and Peter were having two different conversations. Jesus spoke of a sacrificial, unconditional, Godlike love (agape) while Peter’s understanding was human relationships (filia), important but open to distortion. Helen exhorted us to work with Rob and Carol using all our gifts and potential to build a new community offering filia but progressing to agape for all by listening, valuing, empathising with and understanding those around us. She invited Rob and Carol to bring their vision, journeying with us in mutual love and support.
Helen then formally welcomed Rob and Carol into our community endorsed by our circuit stewards and representatives from other local Christian denominations. Our worship concluded with Charles Wesley’s hymn, O Thou who camest from above, and Rob gave his blessing.