Friends Newsletter

The friends newsletter is published 3 or 4 times a year and provides strategic information mainly for those not attending Magdalen Road.  It is for those who want to partner with us in praise and prayer and sometimes practical support, as we seek to display the glory of Jesus to the peoples of East Oxford and the world.

Friends Newsletter - June 2010 Dear Friends of Magdalen Road Church, It is high time we updated you on life in East Oxford. I hope you will forgive me for focusing this time on the two pastoral staff. Peter Opportunities to teach in various contexts continue to come. I had a very interesting, stimulating and even relaxing visit to Hungary last August. I was invited to teach at a church week away and I took the opportunity to take Jonny with me. It was absolutely fascinating to see another culture recovering from communism. Hungary seems to have survived much better than Russia, which I also visited previously. I saw in Hungary a vibrant culture, with many problems but also a solid determination to succeed. Alongside this I met a church deeply and confidently committed to following Christ. It was a pleasure to be amongst them. Jonny and I returned refreshed. The past year has also seen me teaching at the South Central Ministry Training Course. During the year I taught Romans 8, Isaiah and Exodus as well as running regular preaching seminars. The course has now grown to about ninety students so my contribution feels increasingly significant for the kingdom. In addition I now lead the preaching and teaching stream for the FIEC Prepared for Service course. The FIEC is presently going through exciting and revolutionary changes and I am praying that Magdalen Road Church will be able to play its part in a new surge of gospel initiatives nationally and locally. Of course the fundamental focus of my ministry continues to be the local church. This year it has been deeply enriching to teach from 1 Corinthians 13 and also to preach a series on The Bible and Politics. In addition I produced a little booklet on the Songs of Ascents for summer reading which was warmly received. I hope to do another for summer 2010. Presently I am just commencing a period of study leave. I am hoping to do various things but centrally I hope to get to grips with Augustine of Hippo. In many ways I consider Augustine to have been an important thinker for our time (if you want to read my reasons why then subscribe to prayer notes where I hope to write more in coming weeks). Richard The big news is that Richard is moving on! Richard came to us as an inexperienced Pastoral Assistant and has grown over seven years to be an effective and deeply loved Associate Pastor. Richard's warmth, love for God's people and deeply pastoral heart have made him absolutely invaluable and we will miss him greatly. Richard, Lily, and Noah will move to Leicester in the autumn where Richard will be the senior pastor of Avenue Community Church. We are therefore in the process of looking for an assistant pastor. If you know of a potential candidate then please do get in touch. Perhaps that is enough for your prayers for now. Don't forget that, thanks to the generous support of the Friends of Magdalen Road we now have a funded trainee scheme. We are so grateful for your ongoing interest and support. As you read this Richard and I would be deeply grateful if you would remember us in your prayers as well as the churches in Oxford and Leicester who will be losing and gaining pastors in the next few months. Warmly in Christ, Peter Comont 0 Comments  |  Permalink