With the slightly slower pace of life over the summer, August is often the time for journeys. I wonder if you have been on any journeys recently? Maybe it has been a short journey to visit family or friends? Or maybe it has been a longer journey to go on holiday overseas?

Often when we go on journeys we need to plan and have certain things with us. For shorter journeys we might need shoes if we are walking, or to electric charge or fuel for our car. If we are going overseas we will need a ticket and a passport. Whatever journey we go on, there will be certain requirements, and without them we wont get far!

Recently at a baptism service, we were thinking about that question of journeys and what we needed for them. Although in that case, we were thinking about the journey of faith that we go on. And how a baptism is often a marker for us in our journey of faith.

As a Christian and a vicar, I am as much on a journey of faith as we all are. I know more about Jesus now than I did when I first became a Christian at 15 years of age – and I am still growing in my knowledge and understanding of who God is and of his love for me.

The difference with this journey is there are absolutely no requirements to start that journey. You don’t need a ticket or a passport. God simply invites us all to come and journey with him and to get to know Jesus as our saviour and friend.

Next month on Sunday, September 13, we are starting a new worshipping community at St James School in Okehampton, specifically with the aim of serving people on the east side of the town. We are calling it ‘Explore Church’ because we’d love to invite people to come and join us on that journey of faith, to explore what the Christian faith is all about.

It doesn’t matter whether you feel like you have a faith or none at all, you are welcome to join us and to come on that journey of faith with us.