Sunday, 12th. January, 2020. Today was a big day at Fogo Parish Church. Our service at 10.30 a.m. was followed by a congregational lunch and conference session of what we should be doing as a congregation during 2020. It was a meeting of the Kirk Session, Congregational Board and members of the congregation deliberately structured as such to enable decisions to be made. The session was conducted by Julian, one of our new elders and experienced in leading such sessions. He asked us all to identify what made Fogo Church what it was, what brand image did we have in our own minds when we thought of our congregation or what made us want to belong. Then we were invited to think of the people to whom we wished to reach out — a whole variety of responses was received, from an elderly lady with few friends in a nursing home, through families who were doing well and had no interest at all in what happened in their local church, to young folk who had previously had no involvement at all with matters of faith. Finally we were asked to think through plans to reach out to those people we had identified. A huge range of proposals was produced ranging through those which might be grouped under the heading of communication, through those centering on special events, to making more use of digital media to reach out, share and interact with those whose circumstances prevent them from being with us, seeking the assistance of young folk to enable us to communicate with the elderly. The results of our conference will now be analysed and a detailed strategy produced with a view to being implemented by Easter.

Roger made a special desert for our congregational lunch. It was very much appreciated!