And it’s from the old I travel to the new…

These are the words of a well-known song – One more step along the world I go – that many of us may have sung at school. It is also very popular for the life events services (especially weddings and baptisms) we offer in the Church of England: in fact, only yesterday, I received a request for the song for a Christening. 

It’s a very good song and will have been sung at school leavers’ services across the country in the last couple of weeks, as we enter into the school summer holidays and get our heads round the changes that September will bring. I was also tempted to have it for my own leaving service at All Saints’ Church, Okehampton, at the beginning of July. I received a wonderful ‘send off’ from the people of Okehampton and the surrounding parishes so would like to say ‘thank you’.   A few days ago I was licensed to a new role as priest-in-charge of the South Tamar group of parishes, in between Tavistock and Launceston, and have received a warm welcome. 

 So I have joined the ranks of school leavers in also beginning the school holidays with anticipation of the new. A huge part of that is hearing God’s call. What does the next bit of the road you are travelling on look like? What signposts and waymarkers can you see? They are often put there by God, who only wants the best for every single one of us. That includes you, reading this reflection right now.  What is God saying to you? Look out for waymarkers from God as you take your ‘one more step’. 

With love in Christ,