Exceeding Expectations
Book launches, looking back and ahead.
Photo: Rev Greg Bakker and Rev Tina Hogett at a book signing
Our week of book launch parties in Exeter, Sherford (Plymouth) and Bristol exceeded my expectations.
by Rev Tina Hodgett
I imagined it would be a time of selling – the book, ourselves, Pioneering Parishes. But as people left each party, we realised God had been – as usual – in the ‘in-between’ spaces: profound conversations, new connections, ideas for future possibilities. People left inspired, encouraged and hopeful and reminded of God’s faithfulness, not just £12 lighter in the purse/pocket and 128g heavier in the handbag/manbag (yes, I did weigh the book!).
‘Into All the Parish: Pioneering Practices for Every Local Church’ was described by Jonny Baker at the party in Sherford as ‘distilled wisdom’ – like a fine whisky, he said. We rejoiced that the book is short and therefore both readable and affordable – so people often bought one for their vicar, friend or colleague. It was a time to celebrate all the people who had in larger ways or smaller taught us, ‘seen’ us, supported us, advocated for us, challenged us, made space for us, and allowed both Pioneering Parishes and its book form to come into being.
As we were interviewed Greg and I both found the Holy Spirit directing us back to the early whisperings of the call to be part of a movement to enable more parish churches to embody a missional posture and practice and offer practical spiritual care to all souls in a parish. As Greg talked about recognising the origins of the book content and purpose in his experiences in his early years as a priest, my thoughts were drawn back to my studies in educational change management in the 2000s when I sensed God calling me towards ordination. From this I am reminded again that God’s timescales are longer, slower, wiser and more incremental than ours!
As our current funding stream comes to an end we are pivoting to a different way of working. You can find all our tools and resources on our website here. We can still be contacted via www.pioneeringparishes.org and on Instagram and Facebook. We may still contact you occasionally but less regularly via newsletter. You can always unsubscribe if this is unwelcome. Greg and I are available for work as self-employed consultants; you can approach us via a range of routes. If you want to hear more from us you can subscribe to our Substack accounts: https://gregbakker.substack.com and https://tinahodgett.substack.com/ (or www.tinahodgett.net). If you’d like to stay in touch with the Church Mission Society you can subscribe to their pioneer newsletter here or their regular mission updates here.
We bless you with joy, adventure and hope as you discern and join in with God’s mission locally. From the Pioneering Parishes team: Gail, Greg, Jayne and Tina.
Find all our tools and resources here.
