LETTER: Event exploring faith in Horsham

“There must be more to life than this!”

Maybe you are stuck in a queue on the M25, or maybe you are coming back to the daily grind after a great holiday away ...

Or perhaps something quite unusual happens, that gets you wondering – an amazing coincidence, an answered prayer, even some weird experience you just can’t explain ...

Or maybe you meet someone else, who somehow seems to have discovered real spiritual depth & purpose to their life ...

If that happens, do you catch yourself thinking “Is there more to life than this? Is there a God after all? Have I been missing out on a whole spiritual dimension to life?

And if so, what do I do about it? Where can I go with my questions? Is the local church able to help?”

This month especially the 5 Horsham Parish Churches (St. Mary’s, St. Mark’s, St. Leonard’s, Holy Trinity & St. John’s Broadbridge Heath) are doing their best to help with those questions.

Starting this week they are providing 3 weeks of special opportunities, designed to help ”explore faith in Horsham”. Check out the website www.thereismore2014.com for full details of the wide range of events which include :

an Antiques Roadshow with Rupert Toovey

a performance of Haydn’s Creation with a Seminar on Science & Faith

a Stand-up Comedy Night with Andy Kind

a Fun evening with escapologist Steve Legg

a Quiz Night and a Golf Day

a newly commissioned Play “The Mission”

a Family Fun Day at the YMCA

a Celebration Dinner with the Bishop of Chichester

... and of course special Guest services at all the 5 parish churches ...

Guy Bridgewater, Vicar of Horsham explains “We have put all these special events on because of our own experience as fellow searchers for meaning and truth - which is that we believe we have found a new sense of purpose through exploring Christian faith. It makes us more able to face challenges, joys, fears and even our own mortality with confidence – and we’ve also found that it is often fun (as well as inspiring) to compare notes with each other along the way. Certainly we don’t want to force religion on anyone, but neither do we want to keep something this good just to ourselves!

That’s why we’re excited about the “There is More!” chance to ask some really big questions together : Is there more to God, to Jesus Christ, to the Church, than meets the eye?

Jesus once explained his reason for coming into the world in this way : “I have come that you may have life, life in all its fullness” . He was saying “There is More!” – your instinct is indeed right – and I’ve come especially to show you what you’re missing ...

“I am the Way, the Truth & the Life” he famously said, I am what you have been searching for.

And so it is in Jesus’ name that you are warmly invited by your local Parish Church, to check out the “There is More!” programme – and we really look forward to welcoming you, your questions & discoveries, as we set about “exploring faith in Horsham together”.

Canon Guy Bridgewater

Team Rector and Rural Dean of Horsham

The Vicarage, Causeway, Horsham