Introducing the Vision for Cheadle Parish: A New Podcast Journey

In this pilot episode of the Upper Room Podcast, host Ian Anderson Gray is joined by George Crowder, rector at St. Mary's, and Ian Chidlow, associate minister at St. Cuthbert's, to discuss the vision behind starting the podcast. They explore the reasons for creating a new communication platform to delve into church notices, complex topics, and important questions that often can’t be fully addressed during services. The episode details the broader church vision centred on being shaped by Jesus, fostering unity within the local and global church, and addressing financial stewardship. The team also touches on the impact of the pandemic on church unity and the importance of vulnerability and honesty among congregation members.

00:00 Welcome to the Cheadle Parish Podcast

00:26 Why Start a Podcast?

02:45 Understanding the Vision of Cheadle Parish

03:51 Being Shaped by Jesus

06:50 Unity and Partnership in the Church

12:28 Practical Steps and Financial Investment

14:41 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Ian Anderson Gray: Well, welcome to the first ever Cheadle Parish podcast.

This is the pilot, so like anything could happen.

I'm Ian Anderson Gray.

I'm a member of the congregation here at St.

Mary's, and I'm here with, George, who is the rector here at St.

Mary's, and Ian, who's the associate minister at St.

Cuthbert.

So a podcast, what's all that about, George?

Why are we doing a podcast?

Well, it comes from a few experiences I've had, uh, in this lovely

church and, and at St Cuthbert's, where, uh, one is I'm standing there doing a

notice and like doing the notices you're thinking, how long is this going to take?

Are people going to get to the coffees in time?

So you're really on a timer and I'm thinking, have I got

all the information across?

And then I talked to the person at the end of the services, I'm not really

sure what you're on about there.

And I just think I didn't have enough time to explain.

And it was a really good thing, it could have been about something

about mission, or it could have been about an update about the Church of

England, and that's really complicated.

And another experience I've had is I had a conversation after the service,

and somebody's brought up a really good question, and I thought, oh,

yeah, that's, and I'm talking to them about it, and thinking, this is great,

you know, it'd be better for lots of people to get in on this conversation.

So I just thought there's gotta be lots of stuff.

That would be good to talk about, reflect on, uh, and, and, and inform

that, uh, uh, for the whole parish.

So it's, it's generally, genuinely for Cheadle Parish as another way to,

to help us grow in Jesus, to help us know more about what's going on in

different ministries in the church.

I thought it might be a useful way to do that because we have long commutes

and we're sitting there doing the ironing and we could be listening in

and, and, and, uh, we're very busy.

As well.

So I just thought it'd be a helpful thing.

Ian Anderson Gray: about podcast is you can consume it whatever you're doing, you

can go out for a walk, you can be driving, you can be washing the dishes, you can be

watching, listening, that kind of stuff.

And Ian, I know, you're an avid listener to podcast, you love

podcasts, but you're not necessarily that fussed about being in one, but

you're here today, which is great.

Um, do you listen to many podcasts?

No.

I, well I have, uh, George gave me some homework when, when he

first came up with the idea for this, go away and listen to some podcasts.

So I have consumed a few, um, the Oak Hill one.

Can I plug that one?

That's very good.

Ian Anderson Gray: I think you're allowed to do

Um, but yeah, no, before that, not really.

No.

So I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to podcasts.

Ian Anderson Gray: you know, I suppose, what is a podcast?

Because this, this is an audio podcast, but it's also a video one as well.

So if anyone watches YouTube you know, that's the point of this.

It's in lots of different types of formats.

So what we wanted to talk about in this episode was about the

vision, the Cheadle Parish vision.

And I don't know when it was, was it last month, George, you were standing up

in church and talking about the vision.

I wanted to ask you is like, what is, what is a vision?

Uh, and what is our church all about and what Why do we go to church?

What, what, what is it about?

Well, I think you've sort of answered the first

question by asking the second

Ian Anderson Gray: Have I?

but for, for us, I mean, it is just asking ourselves,

what are, what are we all about as a church to ask that question?

I've been here six months now and I've been trying to find out, um, by talking

to people, by talking to people who are in different groups in the church.

I mean, across the parish, there are so many different things going on.

Um, and just to listen to people's experiences, to see where we're

at, but also to think about, you know, what are we all about?

I thought it was important to, to make sense or to start to make sense.

of that, at least by asking the right questions.

So that's, that's what I meant by a vision for the parish.

Ian Anderson Gray: Yeah.

So can you expand on that?

Why do we need a vision and one of the things you've talked about before is

like, what it means to be shaped by Jesus.

What?

What do you mean by that?

Can you expand on that

Yeah, I think it's quite easy to say, what are we all about?

We're all about Jesus, aren't we?

And I guess, are you all about Jesus in St Cuthbert's?

Yes, yes.

My experience of Cuthbert's is, is very positive as well as, as St Mary's.

But that can mean, it can mean anything.

And we have a good, a good history in our parish of listening to God's word

together, of being faithful to God's word.

So we do know about Jesus, but, uh, I think what is it to be shaped by Jesus?

Not just to know his word, but to be shaped by it.

And then a second question, uh, not just to be shaped by Jesus, but what

does that mean At this time in history, and in this particular place, I thought

that was a good question to ask as well.

And those are the two big themes that I, I wanted to draw out,

Ian Anderson Gray: Yeah, well I'd love you to expand a bit more on that,

but Ian, like, one of the things that I've found, I think, in my walk as a

Christian is that often It becomes very kind of head centered, there's a lot

of knowledge, like I know, you know, I think one of the things I feel at St.

Mary's and St.

Cuthbert's is that we're very blessed to have the Word preached, we study

the Bible in our home groups and things like that, but it can so often just be

that and not so much heart centered.

Is that, is that kind of an experience that you felt and, and, and is

part of this vision, do you think it's, it's moving to having the,

the head and the heart combined?

Yeah, I was just, it definitely is.

Yeah.

So growing up, I've always been in, um, I suppose in this tradition

in the church, you know, Bibles out, big sermon, information

download sometimes is how it feels.

Um, so I sort of recognize that, uh, I was just talking to someone today actually in

the upper room cafe about, um, how excited I am about the direction that We seem to

be going in or turning towards from the sort of, um, fast paced information, busy

know this stuff to actually resting and delighting and all of the sorts of more

emotive words that you, you know, that don't necessarily just go with knowledge.

It's more about the heart.

So I think that's coming.

Ian Anderson Gray: yeah, that excites me because I think, like, I definitely, I

am a Christian, I believe in God, I trust Jesus, uh, that's what I want, but it

sometimes feels that it doesn't kind of go into, into the heart side of things and,

uh, that's what I'm really interested in.

You know, you're talking about being shaped by Jesus.

do we actually do that?

And so, like, George, can you maybe expand a little bit more?

On this vision

Hmm.

I think in terms of being shaped by Jesus, um, I was really

struck by the first sermon series we did in Philippians and St.

Mary's.

I don't know if you've been through Philippians recently or St.

Cuthbert.

Um, By one word in that book, uh, and it, I'm going to go to the Greek, sorry.

Uh,

Ian Anderson Gray: we'll

it's, it's a word koinonia.

It's one of those words that sometimes is, is becomes familiar in, in,

in, in Christianity and it gets used lots of times in Philippians,

but in four different ways.

And I think that helps us to see how we are invested in Jesus

Christ, uh, in, in different ways.

Uh, the book opens up with a famous verse in, you know, we are partners

in the gospel and we like that.

And we think about how we're partners in the gospel with

all, with all other churches.

And that is a big part of it, but I think if we start in chapter 3, and that's the

bit where Paul's talking about, um, you know, counts everything but loss, but

dung, except for knowing Jesus Christ.

Uh, and, uh, he uses the Koinonia word with reference to our relationship

with Jesus, to how we're saved.

We are saved by being joined to Christ, by being one with him.

Our unity with him in his death means our sins are paid for our unity

with him in his resurrection means that our resurrection is guaranteed.

That's that's.

It's a big thing for Christians, we are saved because we are united

with Christ and it uses that koinonia word to describe it.

But the same koinonia word is used in chapter two to describe the local

church, you know, our sharing in, you know, putting others first, counting

others more important than ourselves.

As soon as we're one with Christ, we are one with everybody

else who's one with Christ.

We're brothers and sisters in Christ and that is a relationship

that is very deep and we express.

or salvation in the way that we do church.

Christianity is not a solo activity.

It's not like marathon running.

It is more like basketball.

It's a team thing.

It's more like an orchestra, really.

I know that would appeal to you.

You know, where there's only really one sound, but a lot of people

are playing their part in it.

it sounds beautiful if people are in harmony with And then there's the kind of

big partnership that we are united with the global church and the church all in

history because we are all one in It's important that we express that, and in

the Church of England we do express that, uh, by being part of a denomination, and

I know that's difficult, um, but it's important that we have a strengthening

partnership with other local churches.

I think it's, uh, particularly important in Cheadle, there's a long history

of partnership between the churches.

I think we can do more there

Ian Anderson Gray: Yeah, and of course, you know, with St Cuthbert's, you

know, we've got two churches in the same parish and I'd love to know your

thoughts on that Ian, what George has said because I feel like So, certainly

since, I'm going to use the really bad word now, the pandemic, since then I

feel that we've become more and more fragmented, as a country and more and

more people feeling isolated and alone.

But in, what we have here at our churches is amazing.

Sometimes I know I take that for granted.

So how do you see that changing, uh, at St.

Cuthbert's particularly, and, and, That u uniting us together in, in Christ.

well, I think at the moment we're, um, I do think over the

last year, year and a half, maybe, um, things have moved slightly closer

together in terms of parish unity.

Um, I hope I'm not alone thinking that, uh, it certainly feels like it has, it

feels like there's more concern for.

Oh, we're, we're doing this thing, um, how are we going to let St.

Mary's know, or how are we going to find out what, you know, they're

doing and join in, that kind of thing.

Of course, we've got the joint parish weekend away coming up, um,

as well, which is very exciting.

Um, as a church together, I think from what I've, I've gathered, I've only

been there a year properly myself, um, they've, they're very good, we're

very good at looking after each other.

Um, and that's what we found as soon as we moved in, that sort of unity

and looking out for one another.

And I think really crucially being, uh, looking out for newcomers and things

and inviting them into that sort of unity that you have so that you're not

just a, we're a united church but it's really hard for anybody else to break in.

You know, because it's us.

Um, so I, yeah, I can see a lot of it down at Cuthberts and as a parish, um, I think

things are moving in the right direction.

Probably we're, we're looking, we're doing a series through the Bible on the

word at the moment to try and kind of see how we are all on the same page.

literally reading from the same book, um, worshiping the same

lords, you know, all of that.

Ian Anderson Gray: Yeah, that excites me, and I definitely can see more of

that, that unity, that togetherness, and I almost think there's a little

bit more vulnerability and honesty as well, because I think if we are going

to, if we are going to move forwards, we do need to In a sense, be more

vulnerable so that we can actually pray for each other and help each other.

So, moving on, George, you know, with, from what you were saying, like how

can we do these things practically?

And was there any, any other part of the vision you wanted to share

wanted to share with us?

Yeah, there's another use of koinonia in Philippians that, um, is the one we

don't normally talk about, but it's quite interesting that it's the same word that

gets used to describe our unity with Christ, our unity in the local church,

and our partnership between churches.

The same word gets used to talk about our financial investment.

In, in ministry, um, and that's just a quirk of Greek, uh, that's when you,

when the New Testament talks about, oh yeah, no, thank you for your,

uh, koinonia, it's usually thank you for your generous help financially

with the mission in this place.

Um, and the interesting, I think the interesting about that is

it's just part of the package.

The love and Christian fellowship that we share, the salvation that

we have, the part of the package is that we, we, we, we give generously.

it's not something that's sort of separate.

I know it feels awkward, but it is just, it's the same word.

And that I think helps us to think really rightly about our Christian giving.

And how we think of our material possessions and how we share in that.

You know, when you look at the, Acts chapter two in the early church

and they had everything in common.

That was, I think, you know, a little picture of heaven there.

I don't think we're quite at that all the time, but, but, uh, you

know, there is a definite investment.

Our investment in Jesus Christ crosses all of those boundaries and that's,

it's, that's, it's really beautiful.

Um, one implication about that, that's, uh, quite important to say at this time

is that our partnership in the gospel.

is in all those ways.

So if someone has a different gospel and they're claiming to be a partner church,

then we, we can't share in that way.

And so an issue we've got in the church of England right now um, if there's

a departure from doctrine, which there is, then we need to look at how

we are giving more, how our giving is, uh, is being used more widely.

And the PCC are looking at that carefully.

Ian Anderson Gray: Yeah, and that's a real tricky one.

So we need to be praying for George, for Ian, for the PCC in these really

difficult decisions at the moment.

Uh, but that unity is important.

The word is important.

We're almost out of time.

This is our, this is our first one.

We're just testing things out.

We hope you've enjoyed this.

If you have any thoughts or questions, do let, let us know.

Uh, and, uh, it would be kind of interesting to see the

direction of all these things.

So.

Ian, any kind of final thoughts as we finish on that?

How's your experience been on your first ever podcast?

Has this been better than you thought?

I've loved it.

Yeah.

What a location to do it in as well.

No, it's been really interesting.

Like you said, it's just a conversation down the pub.

I could do with a pint in front of me.

I think that would

would help.

That

would definitely help.

Ian Anderson Gray: time.

We'll see how

Yeah.

Ian Anderson Gray: Yeah.

Thanks Ian.

And George, any, any kind of final thoughts before we finish?

Um, well, I've really enjoyed being part of this.

I want to thank you Ian for helping us chat so freely.

been very enjoyable.

Ian Anderson Gray: No, it's been fun.

Well, thank you so much for plugging us into your ears or watching us on the

YouTubes or wherever you're watching.

And, uh, we'll see you next time.