Community Sermon and Limericks

On Sunday 8th March we are having one of our Community Sermons at Ashley.

This is a way of describing a service where as many people as possible take part coming ready to say something short on the given topic. This time it is on 'Men and Women of the Bible and the Holy Spirit' and I rather rashly suggested some might come with a limerick on the subject (and maybe write one of their own). I found 'The Bible in Limerick Verse' on the internet which I will try to get hold of and bring along.

Having searched the internet I have realised that good Christian limericks are not easy to write. Just as a start here is one from a website. The limerick is called The Buyers Remorse based on the story of Jeremiah buying a field as an act of faith when he knew the Babylonians are about to capture the city (Jeremiah 32:24-25).

Under siege, yet You told me to buy
Real estate. Seemed like pie-in-the-sky.
Then You said, "I am God,
Jer’ don’t think like a clod.
Now I’ll help you to understand why.

Maybe not the best but it is not that easy. To help us are there any offers via the blog? Ones you have found or written.......

Can We All Be Perfect?

I came across this quote and have been pondering on it for few days. It is from Saint Therese of Lisieux:

"perfection consists in being what God wants us to be"

I like it because it has, for me, an uncomfortable feeling about it. Isn't this presumption gone wild ... and yet it has something of truth about it too. Was this one way that Jesus was perfect?

I suspect saying these things in the wrong places could get one into a lot of trouble.

Ashley is Seventy Years Old This Year

I have been thinking this week about the fact that Ashley Church is seventy years old in October of this year and wondering what we should do about it. I have been involved in leadership for about half that time and it still fascinates me as a church.

Why did it start? What has been its journey? Why did God set it up? What is this little church doing at the intersection of two busy roads? Why has he gathered this collection of people in this place?

Any comments and /or conversations about it are welcome.............................

The 100th post

1386 hits from 42 different countries on our bolg and now we've reach our 100th post. Thank you to all those that have contributed and if you fancy joining our discussion for the first time or if you haven't commented for a while why not take a moment to do so we'd love to hear from you.

Why not take a look at the new stop, look and listen feature top right.

Come and Dance with me

When Shaun was talking about his 'Are we human or are we dancer' photo this morning, I was hearing quite clearly the invitation from God to 'come and dance', and although this was for me and tied up with something I have had rattling around in my head recently, it is probable that others know that that invitation is directly for them too.
I don't always like to join in with things and can easily find myself sitting and watching, but God challenges that and invites me to dance!

Bible verses

A friend of mine recently took to posting bible references on her facebook comments. It is great because I just have to look it up; I can't not know what it says, so my bible reading has increased by her frequent postings. At first she posted bible verses that meant something to her, but on some days when she was not feeling inspired she posted other references anyway and was amazed how many people told her it was valuable to them to have this almost daily verse to look up and hopefully think about.
So, in case that is true for anyone else.......here's a verse.......feel free to add others!
Isaiah 62:3

Daily Meditation in Cyberspace

I was reminded recently of the Sacred Space Website and thought I would share the address with you. It takes about 10 minutes a day and can be helpful sometimes to find that space to stop, look and listen which most of us find so difficult. You may have found it already. Perhaps we could share sites that we have found helpful.

God's Perspective in a Snowstorm

On Sunday at Ashley I tried to say something about Getting God’s perspective on a difficult situations in one’s life. It reminded me of trying to imagine summer flowers in the garden in the middle of a winter snowstorm.



Seeking God’s perspective might sound a very arrogant thought but I am really not thinking of situations where two people know that ‘God is on their side’ – a formula for wars! But times when such perspective may bring, in one’s own life, a breakthrough or release from something.

The story of Joseph (the amazing coloured dream-coat one) and the way he could forgive his brothers for selling him into slavery is one of the most remarkable biblical examples of this I know. Towards the end of the story his words to his brothers are:

I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. [Gen 45:4-5]

Together in the church service we listed some of the factors that might help us to find or have clues to God’s perspective when we need it:

Faith that it is possible!
The willingness to get out of the box (imagination)and change
The courage to be different
The patience to stop, look and listen (praying alone)
Listening to the tune of hope with relaxed attentiveness
Keeping the words of the Bible in one’s mind
Being with people of faith (praying together)
Re-visiting who God is (the character of God)
Believing that you are a wonderful person

Any more to add........................

If you want the whole talk it will on the Ashley Podcasts.

Lord in your mercy... by Steve W

Following on from this mornings talk I think this is an excellent piece of writing about how we need God to help in this 'bad news' world

Lord in your mercy...

I saw people chase ambition,
Driven by their schemes.
Half the world is starving,
But we indulge our dreams.
Neighbour fighting neighbour.
Injuries are claimed.
Eye for eye and tooth for tooth –
Are we going insane?

Lord, in your mercy, please cast out the lies
And set me seeing this world through your eyes.

I heard a single mother’s anguish,
A deserted child’s grief.
Families that are shattered
Don’t know what they can believe.
Nation fears nation,
Belief and conscience clash.
Mistrust between old friendships
Often festers in a flash.

Lord, in your mercy, please cast out the fears
And set me hearing this world through your ears.

Don’t worry if you’re suffering,
We can help you meet your end.
Rules are rules, I’m sure it’s true,
But there’s nothing we can’t bend.
I saw tiny souls aborted,
But it’s all done for “the best”.
And a web-site cheers each suicide,
What a sad, sad, crazy mess.

Lord, in your mercy, please help me to start
Living in this world with your heart.

Snow, Morrisons and Estate Agents

My short normally rather boring walk to Morrisons Supermarket was transformed this morning by the snow even though it was slippery and I know that for many the weather was less than a blessing. It was just a delight to see mundane places transformed into wonderlands of light. It stuck me it was bit like falling in love or conversion in that everything changes and looks wonderful. The snow does, I know, end up all slushy and messy but it is wonderful while it lasts and falling in love doesn't have to be always that way!! Even the estate agents signs look stunning:




and our church looked sparkling

Baptism service

Today we celebrated Jenna's baptism. If you would like to comment on the service or post something for Jenna please do so. We looked at the story of Naaman and how his story teaches us about change, obedience, and receiving more of God’s grace.
Notes can be read here