Live the dream…
Matthew 16: 21-28
Many of us can share a dream of seeing the world turned upside down, but unless we wake up and live the dream nothing much will change. The world chose not to wake-up to Martin Luther King’s dream and America today is still in a state of racial turmoil.
Dear Friends,
When we heard the voice of the Lord asking, “Who shall I send? Who will go for us?” we knew it was an invitation to step forward and say: “Here am I! Send me!” Now we have a new response: “Here’s my computer! Send an email!”
Dear Friends,
With Church doors open again and visitors welcome into our Oasis of Prayer it was no surprise to hear the old familiar grumble: “Why does God let it happen?” Have you ever thought that if we did as God said many of those things wouldn’t happen?
Dear Friends,
There are 266 pages in a book I have recently read and for about 250 of them I wondered how anyone could survive the story that was being told, but it doesn’t need many pages to change a life! I wish the 266 pages were the story of only a few and pray that the few remaining pages could become the happy ending for many. Sadly most of the book reflects the despair of many and the end is an experience for the few, very few.
Who do YOU say Jesus is?
Matthew 16: 13-20
It doesn’t matter what other people think, what is most important is who Jesus is to you and whether you are ready to confess your faith to the world. It doesn’t matter who I say Jesus is, or who any other preacher says he is, because it’s our Father in heaven who reveals the truth, not me, or any other person.
Our Prayer Oasis in Church will be open for private prayer on Saturday (August 22nd) from 10am so please call in for some spiritual refreshment. Services will also be held from Sunday August 30th in Church Hall, but as we will have to limit numbers people will need to tell us they would like to attend. You can do this through our contact page.
Dear Friends,
Transformed Worship
Romans 12: 1-3
When I say goodbye to the grandchildren I blow a kiss and they jump with outstretched arm to catch it. Then they blow one back and they shout: “Granddad! You dropped it!”
We had better start practicing ‘kiss catching’ for when we start services again because there will be no hugs or handshakes to welcome each other. We will also have to wear masks so must get used to smiling with our eyes and making our voices feel like a hug! We’ve had a lot of practice with our voices during many phone calls over the months so hopefully we can continue to make love speak through our masks.
Dear Friends,
Matthew 26: 36-46
Sleeping through the alarm!
For some of us our faith can be like our smoke detector or fire alarm: It’s there to save us in an emergency, but for most of the time we don’t feel any need for it.
I had an annoying reminder that it is an ever presence in our home over the weekend. The alarm, that is, not my faith! It started beeping in the middle of the night when I was trying to sleep.
Dear Friends,
It probably goes against the gospel grain, but I am convinced we need to find a selfish streak to our faith if we are to be generous with our love.
I’m not encouraging an attitude of saving money for a rainy day when the poor are already being soaked in storms of injustice, persecution and oppression. No, I’m not affirming the wealth of rich young men who believe that following old habits of ritual and tradition will save us. (Luke 18: 18-26) What we need to save us, including me, is to get selfish with TIME and PRAYER!
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
We believe Church is an everyday activity with a rest for our spiritual refreshment on Sunday! Church is not in a building, but in the hearts of people who want to show the love of God in a community and the wider world. So Church works six days a week to create what is good for God and then gathers together for a rest at our Sunday services (10.30 am)