I find it very difficult to say “Thank you”. This is not because I am ungrateful, but because I hate seeming to be patronising. ‘Brucie’ has got patronising down to a fine art with his “Didn’t he do well”. At the end of January we are to have our Church AGM when office-holders are re-re-elected “en block” and we shall pass on to the next business.

At that meeting we shall be looking to replace our Caretaker, our Treasure and our Web-site Supremo. They have each served the Church with distinction and done jobs that few of us would care to undertake. So “Thank-you Derek, Chris and Jeff’.

Without belittling in any way, their contribution to the life of the Church, when I look around the Church there is a whole host of people who “do jobs”. Most of which are unnoticed and I fear often, unappreciated. So on behalf of the Church I say “Thank you” to …………. and to…………… and I dare not here mentions names for two reasons. Firstly, I have only a limited amount of space and number of words – if I were to name them all I would need three pages. Secondly, if I judge people correctly, they do not want thanking. Out of the goodness of their heart, they have spent time, effort and often money willingly, without seeking the reward of recognition. It is their ‘reasonable service’ to God. ”

They may not need thanking, but that does not mean we do not appreciate each other’s service. I shall try harder from now on, not to take for granted, what we do for each other.May God Bless us all in 2015.

Brian