Psalm 139

I have been very encouraged by this Psalm again today and would have liked to play this video at church tomorrow but can't download it so it's here instead. I hope you find it as relaxing and encouraging as I did.

DR WHO'S SERMON ' TOOLKIT ' ???

I came across this email news item which I thought might be of interest. The full article is in the link.

Is it good communication or the church just trying a bit too hard?

What do you think?

DR WHO’S SERMON ‘TOOLKIT’
Dr Who ascended with angels, a vision inspired Rose, and the Daleks terrorised mankind. And, in the Church’s bid to engage with teenagers, this symbolism could help communicate Christian ideas that would otherwise be difficult to explain, ministers heard this week at a Church Army conference. ‘Clergy shouldn’t be afraid to engage with popular culture as, for many young people, television plays a large role in their thinking,’ said Church Army spokesman Andrew Wooding. Revd Andrew Myers, of St Aidan’s in Leeds, said: ‘Even the more cynical have been convinced that this immensely successful series provides a wonderful toolkit!’
Source: Daily Telegraph (4/5) Full text link

Pentecost reflection

Very much enjoyed the service on Sunday, as we were reminded in various ways by various people of the various ways in which God touches us by his Holy Spirit. At the same time we had the sober reflection from Roy of how hard it sometimes is to have faith that God can respond to our prayers when faced with something as massive as the cyclone tragedy in Burma - I often feel that way myself.

Thinking about experiences of the Spirit on Sunday, I found myself thinking about the first time I spoke in tongues - about eight years ago. Since then its a gift I have made use of, but it does involve discipline, and sometimes I've gone for months without using it. Its not something I talk about much because it is a bit of a weird thing, and I don't fully understand it myself. What I have found though is that at times it helps me when I can't find the words to say to God, and that it helps me to engage my heart as well as my head.

I remember once reading something by CS Lewis which I found very encouraging. Reflecting on the fact that sometimes we feel that our prayers are just bouncing off the ceiling - he pointed out that since the Holy Spirit lives in us, what may feel like a monologue is actually God working through us as we articulate our compassion for people and situations. Hope that's of some encouragement to us as we pray (in whatever language!)

Gavin

Pentecost Sunday Presentation

We looked at Pentecost in the light of the book of Joel and the way Peter uses the prophecy to explain the phenomenon they had just experienced. The book describes the devastation of the locusts and then the prophecy of hope which Peter quotes at Pentecost.

Flowers and Weeds

I woke up this morning with a very old song in my head - it probably had something to do with the line 'love is like the sunshine ...' It led me to think of some other old and well loved songs and including Laura's and my old favourite -

My heart may be like a garden, fair,
lots of loving thoughts and deeds blossoming there.
Or it may be a place of poison weeds, growing into ugly thoughts and words and deeds.
Lord Jesus make my heart a garden, fair.
Come now thyself and be the gardener there.

You have to allow for it being a children's song, but having seen how quickly the weeds have grown in my real garden this week, I have to echo the plea for assistance in keeping my heart garden well weeded!

Sunday 4th May

Here is Roy's slide show from Sunday, as I wasn't in the talk I look forward to some comments being posted to help me understand what was going on!

Experiencing God around us

Below are the pictures Ray shared with us on Sunday that reminded him of God's goodness and presence in the everyday.