Erm, starting a church makes you too busy to write a blog

So, I've discovered what is evident if you read this blog, that starting a church from scratch makes you too busy and tired to do things like keep a blog!

Crazy busy with a young family, a full-time occupation and running a church. We feel like we have been on this journey for two years now, since we first agreed we felt called to start this church (those with a love of detail will know we have only been in bristol a year and the church is only 8 months old, but we have lived with the knowledge of this journey for little over two years).

I think we can all identify with two groups of people with regards to journeys, the first group enjoy the journey so much they don't want to arrive too soon, and the other group prefer arriving to the journey and want to get the journey over and done with. I think Claire and I fall into the first group which is good news, because the journey we are on is a long one. Anyone who starts anything from scratch knows that first goal is to gain momentum and creating momentum is demanding (ever tried to roll a heavy boulder and you'll know that getting it moving is harder than keeping it moving).

Severn has momentum now and is moving forwards with a pace - 40 to 45 people are now committed or associated with the church, a glance at our Facebook page tells stories of parties, community action, helping the vulnerable, of a community of people who are inspired by Jesus to live life to the full, whatever our circumstances.

Severn is a new community, a new network of relationships that is adding to the social fabric of our city - just two weeks ago a hundred people turned up to a pub quiz some of our guys organised in a city centre pub. The following day about 40 of us (including some friends from Nottingham) spent the morning paying for people's parking meters, offering to pray for shoppers and serving free coffee and donuts to revising students - we think about another 100 people were connected in this small way to this new network representing Jesus in the city.

I've got to keep this short, otherwise it'll be another late night! Had too many already - would be ok if the kids didn't wake us early too. Other news - we moved the venue for the large gatherings to the Royal Academy of Art - a fab and wonderfully cool place for the whole church to gather. We are on the point of selling a house we have renovated in the last 5 months - we've loved the whole creative process, but now need to replenish our savings! Dan got into the local primary school for September (and Millie got into the pre-school on the same site), but still hoping for a place for Jake - please keep praying with us for this.

loads of love

Owen and Claire