First week as mayor – reflections, and giving God the glory

Last Sunday, two days before I was ‘inaugurated’ (is that the correct term?) as Mayor of Thornbury, I had the opportunity to share at Thornbury Baptist church and at Woodlands Central church (Bristol) about my forthcoming role, and my prayer requests for the year ahead.

My prayer requests were simple – for wisdom in how to lead council, and therefore the town, through the forthcoming changes that a plethora of large developments are forcing upon us; and that people would see me as a servant mayor, and would see the God I serve through my actions and words.

One week on, and I just want to share a few examples of how those prayers are already being answered in wonderful ways.

Just to set the scene for the Tuesday evening and the first couple of examples:

The mayor-making event took place at the start of the Town Council AGM in council chambers, and was a public event. It was packed to the gills with friends from church and the community, and I was very aware of all the quiet prayers that were being said for me during it both from those present, and also others who were not able to be there in person.

After the AGM was over, I invited everyone, including councilors and council staff, back to the Baptist church where we had laid on coffee and cake. Many of the friends who had witnessed the mayor-making hadn’t stayed for the whole meeting and thus were already at the church when all the councilors arrived.

So, the councilors all arrive at the church, and see this lovely group of people already there and one of the councilors says quietly to me: ‘is this a regular church group we have gate-crashed?’

Me: ‘no’;

He: ‘well why are they here?’

Me: ‘well, they are my friends from church and around, and are just here to celebrate me being made mayor’

He: ‘wow, how lovely it must be to have so many special friends’

Me: ‘it is, church is a very special place’

Wonderful!

Two of the other councilors who came across for the coffee and cake are known for the fact that they NEVER attend any events that are in churches, as they are so anti-church. However, both came to the Baptist church on Tuesday night, and both at some point said to me what a lovely feeling there was in the place.

God making His presence gently but beautifully felt from the start.

During this week I’ve had many reasons to go into the council offices and chat with the staff about things, and build up relationship with them. During one of the conversations, one of them commented how much they like my style of leading – how open, inclusive and relaxed it is, and yet gets things done. I’m not saying that to big me up, but instead to praise God who has been moulding me over the years to reach this point, and sanding down the sharp edges that many of you know used to be there. May the working relationships that are being formed provide openings and opportunities for faith-sharing conversations at various points in time.

Yesterday, I had my first ribbon-cutting event, and it provided another example of God’s hand in everything. The event was the opening of the new clubhouse at the local tennis club, and I was there along with our local MP.

As we were being shown round, it was mentioned that the clubhouse and courts are now fully accessible for those with disabilities, and that the tennis club would like to develop that side of things more, but doesn’t know where to start.

Well thank you God for joining up the dots! The charity that I am supporting this year is JIGSAW, a local organisation that supports children with additional needs, and their families. A group of them were at the event yesterday, as one of the young people was helping me cut the ribbon. In a previous conversation with them they had been saying about how they are looking for some summer holiday opportunities for the Jigsaw children. So when the tennis guys mentioned about their desire to help those with disabilities access tennis – well all I had to do was introduce Tennis Club to JIGSAW, and let the conversation and planning flow. Don’t you love it when God brings the right people together at the right time for the benefit of all?

So, that’s a few bits of my first week. I have also been involved with another charity event, and through that had opportunity to grow awareness of more good works going on in the town, and I have had various conversations in which God and the church family have come up in very positive ways.

Don’t worry, you aren’t going to get a week by week account of my mayoral life, although if any of you want to know my diary to pray for specific events then I’m happy to share that on a one-by-one basis, and I’m also on twitter (@mayorthornbury), and on facebook (Mayor of Thornbury)

But for now this is enough and I’ll end with a couple of photos that I particularly like from this first week. May God be glorified in it all.