It’s freshers' season.
Welcome Week lasts four weeks for me and takes me to six different university campuses. It’s a great opportunity to work with chaplains (it’s amazing what conversations you get into while trying to make the perfect pancake!) meet with church leaders (including signing up a new Link Church in Chester), and of course meeting students. A highlight so far was dropping into the Manchester Cathsoc BBQ to see how the newly trained leaders were doing.
All this adventuring has also mean I’ve hit train 2000! For those of you who remember my early diary blogs there was a regular train count. I wonder if I can stop counting now…? Each train is not just about getting from A to B, it's about getting me to where I can best support students all over the North West. My 2000th train journey lasted 4 minutes, was 7 minutes late and wasn’t very exciting, but it did get me on my way to my desk to be able to write this blog! If you would be willing to support my work in the North West you can become a Friend by giving a regular donation through the North West Hub Page.
As we reflect on new starts it seems strange to think about being at the start of my fourth year at SCM. Things always seem to happen in threes; I did three years at University, then three years full time work near Lancaster, then three years in a different job near Manchester. I am very glad to be changing that pattern and building on the past three years with another year here. There are lots of exciting things happening this year too, with a brand new SCM Community in the North West, SCM Liverpool, and lots of events all over the country.
Sometimes we are called to new and exciting things and sometimes we are called to stay, to deepen our roots, and grow where we are. So whether this is a new start for you or just more of the same, let’s find God in the every day and do what we can to flourish in our calling and be at peace with wherever we are right now.
Rach