Neil Townsend's Blog

I claim no great experience of illness - many have faced far more than I have, deespite the last few months. Those months have been an unusual time for me - contrained to very little action and barely any thought for a couple of months and a slow process of recovery, which I have yet to fully complete. Along the way I hope I've learnt a thing or two, such as ...more

It was a real delight to see Cross in the Square come together this year. Yet again the cross was put centre stage, raised up in the middle of Wantage on Good Friday. Mant many thanks to all who got stuck in and helped to make it happen.

If you'd like to see some pictures check out:more

Wow! It was great to have Duncan Smith with us for the men's weekend, and it's been great to hear people's feedback.more

I find the summer can be a good moment to read a book or two. I finished “Culture of Honor” by Danny Silk the other week. In it he lays out an approach to aligning pastoral care with the heart of Jesus which I loved.more

I’m sat watching the rain after my daughters’ sports day. Lucy is at home and the other two are at parties a good half an hour from home, and so I have an hour or so to “kill” waiting for the parties to be over. This is one of those things they don’t warn you about in life: choosing to love other people consumes your time and messes up your plans.more

I'm just home after this evening's family meetings. I love gathering with the people of God. I was reminded afresh this evening about how much God wants for everyone to know his presence, and to walk in step with him. He's great, and I love him.more

When I used to coach rowing, I spent a lot of time in the run up to a race doing exercises designed to help the crew keep their focus right during the race. What we focus on has a huge impact on how we feel, and how we act. I was flicking through some facebook status updates this morning as it had been a day or two since I last did so.more

This morning, I came across some text (via my wife, via Lorraine Thomas) which I found profoundly inspiring and challegning at the same time. Here it is:

When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you do not sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christmore

What a wet Sunday! Wet in the natural, wet in the supernatural. I know that I need as much awareness of God’s presence as possible, and I always want more, so I really appreciated what Dave shared with us, and his praying for us. We are designed to be people who link presence of God on heaven into earth – bring it on! Charlie Cleverly (of St.more

It was great to get back to Wantage for Sunday morning and worship. I had had a good time with our many friends in France. It was a fantastic time of consolidation for the network there and there was a much greater sense of everyone moving towards the same goals with the same values than ever before. But it was great to be home.more