Is that a parable? Perhaps not – but it certainly resonates with me now, as I prepare to retire. We have been on a journey together, but soon our paths will divide, and only God knows where they will lead.

But wherever we go, we should continue to look forward, and watch out for God’s opportunities to do his work. We keep on being reminded that Methodism is ‘a discipleship movement shaped for mission.’ That summary contains three key ideas which should guide us on the next stage of our journey.

The first is ‘discipleship’. Christians never stop being disciples – learning about Christ and how to serve him, deepening their own faith, and becoming more aware of the spiritual needs of those around them. And that process of learning never finishes (there is no such thing as a retired Christian), as there are always new aspects of the character of God to be explored.

Second is ‘mission’ – and we must remember that mission is not ours but God’s, to bring the message of his love to the whole world. We can do that by speaking and preaching; but in a world distrustful of big ideas and moral absolutes, we have to prove ourselves by what we do and who we are. We have to earn the right to speak about faith by living faith; we have to meet people in their need, and offer unconditional love and care – to serve them before we seek to save them.

Finally, ‘movement’ – Methodism is dynamic, not static. We are on a journey, and if we stand still for long, we will be left behind. The world around us is changing at an alarming rate, and while there is an argument that an unchanging church provides an anchor of security in a storm of change, we cannot afford not to change if we are to relate to the world in which we live. We have to find authentic ways of telling our story, which will be real for today, so that we can attract others to join us on the journey.

But soon our paths will go in different directions. You have the challenge of a new circuit, with all its opportunities; I move to another circuit with no clear idea yet of what form my ministry will take. My prayer is that God will give us clear way-marks, and that we will each have the confidence to follow his way, trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide us at every step.

Yours in his service,

Rev Tony Parkinson