Rev Roland Bamford is unable to write anything for this special publication so we have selected his first letter to our New Church in October 1984.
Dear Friends,
I am beginning to settle in and find my way around. When the new room at the house is built we shall really be settled. I am beginning to know one or two of your names and recognise a few faces, but I shall go on asking you who you are until you are thoroughly fed up. Please be patient with me.
Please let me know if anyone is ill or in hospital or just come out of hospital. It is much better for me to know twice than not at all.
I passed a church the other day with a notice outside that said, "Christ is the answer". Someone had scribbled beneath "What is the question". I think that is a fair comment. We know that Christ is the answer to all men's needs, but we must make our message relevant and understandable to ordinary people. By our life together we need to show them that Christ is the answer to their loneliness, their guilt, their fear, and their uncertainty. I cannot work miracles but I am happy to bring what gifts I have. When we all do this we become the body of Christ revealing his love where we are.
We send our love to you all Roland, Glennys, Ruth and Rachel.
Roland had articles published in the Methodist Recorder between May l998 — December 2005 under the heading "Lessons from Life". These articles have been brought together in a book called "Lessons for Life". Copies of this book are available price £3-99. Profit from the sale of this book is being donated to Christian Aid.