Called to Northwich

Malcolm Cowan, our Curate, has been with us since July 2004, when he was ordained Deacon. He has since been ordained to the priesthood, and was installed as Curate in Charge of Caldy Church in February 2006. Many here have been blessed by God through his gentle, loving and effective ministry. It was announced in March 2007 that he will be moving to Northwich later in the year. A good preferment for him, but we shall miss him very much. He writes…

We may feel that being a Christian is not always easy. It involves handing complete control of our lives over to God. This does not mean, however, that we can simply stroll through life without giving any thought or care for what may be. In fact it means quite the opposite: our Christian faith compels us to plan, to act, to respond to the word of God … and to have an awareness that God does communicate with us in many ways: through Scripture, through the words or actions of others, but always through a prompting of the Holy Spirit. And so rather than that carefree approach to life, we must be vigilant, ever alert, ever watching and waiting.

You will be aware that I am to leave West Kirby and Caldy in July of this year. Although my time was never, and could not ever have been, permanent here, it has been a truly wonderful time, and a privilege to have shared part of our Christian journey together. I have to say that when the Bishop first suggested that it may be time for me to move on, it was perhaps the last thing I was thinking about and yet this reinforces my earlier statement of being ready, listening for God’s word, however that may come, and responding.

Of course, I began that discernment process of seeking to determine if this was God’s will, and the more I prayed, and spoke with others, the more I became convinced that it was the will of God. This doesn’t, however, make the transition any easier, but it does mean that I can be assured that I am following through with those words that I pray each day in the Lord’s Prayer “Your will be done”.

As Joyce and I move to the Parish of St Helen, Witton, in Northwich http://sthelenwitton.org.uk/ we shall find ourselves members of a different group of God’s worshipping community, and yet we will remain united in our common fellowship, aware that we shall continue to hold each other to God in prayer. Being a Christian is truly a wonderful calling for each of us, a pilgrim people, always moving forward in our faith, even those who remain in one geographical area. There is an awareness of the excitement of God walking with us, supporting and encouraging us as we journey on, that we are also surrounded by a host of Saints that we worship with each Sunday, those people we sit amongst, those who walk with us.

So thank you for your love and support, for your grace and friendship (which I pray will continue) and as we all continue to offer ourselves afresh to God in service, may we be ever watching, ever listening for His call.

Malcolm Cowan

April 2007