I am going to be local and just try to assess what might have been achieved in the Parish (Anglican) of St Michael and All Angels, Bartley Green in 2010.

January saw our first ever ecumenical engagement during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, with an expressed desire to do more of the same during the year. Needless to say that did not happen. In the first month of the year also, we had an open PCC meeting with around 40 people present as we sought to look at the Bishop of Birmingham’s Transforming Church iniative. Lots of good ideas and postivity. In September, we launched Messy Church as a direct result of this meeting.

March saw Lent Groups – another alleged first – and then during Holy Week, we journeyed to the Cross together, eating, studying and worshipping.

April saw our affiliation agreement with Bartley Green school launched. Church members have been into school to take part in lessons, and I am actively involved in teaching PSHE, governance and assemblies. On the whole, it is positive, although I have to admit my Christmas assembly was awful.

June and July saw our Transition Project, led by a local artist, involving all the primary school children moving to Bartley Green. It was appreciated by the primaries and also, I think, by BGS.

September was the launch of Messy Church (www.messychurch.org.uk), which was well attended and has helped us be in touch regularly with 3 to 5 additional families. St Michael’s also took part in Back to Church Sunday.

October saw our Patronal activities with a concert in church – rock band, school choirs, messy church, organ recital etc.

November saw remembrance – the beginning of advent and then into December for Christmas.

We have – I have – been busy! We have had new people come – some have stayed; others have not. We have looked outwards; although cultivating a culture of welcome is not at all easy at times. Yet, should we have done more…. perhaps should we have done less.

We have of course journeyed with people in sadness and gladness; supported and (sadly) forgotten them. We have tried to be constant.

I cannot help think that we have not achieved all that much…. I have not achieved all that much; then again how do you measure being and doing church on the edge.