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Showing posts from May, 2012
As a Church we have entered a spell of 40 days of prayer and fasting.  The aim is that the church shall listen to what God is saying to us, so it is primarily a listening exercise.  one of the images that came to me today at a prayer session was "to be a source of life giving water in a barren land" I'm not too sure what that means yet, but hope to understand soon I have a service at Lower Stoke on Sunday.  It is the home church of my mentor - no pressure then..  I am looking forward to it and pray that God will bless the service and everyone present.

I Am or am I!

My first rambling - and rambling it is! I've generally looked upon myself as a jack of all trades but master of none and this makes it fairly easy to be negative and/or re-act to a comment from the negative aspect rather than taking anything positive from it. Yesterday I was reading of how the opposite is true of Jesus, there was no am I statements but focuses on I Am - the true light; the Vine; the Way, the Truth; the Resurrection; and........... So a lesson to be learnt when I, or anyone for that matter, feel negative about a comment / action / ability etc., focus on the positive, and bring to mind Matthew 19 v26  (you'll have to look it up! :0) )
Perhaps it is a phenomenon that we will always deliver a message in the manner suited to who we are.  Certainly very interesting that two diverse people would perceive the same message from different pieces of scripture.  Perhaps there is a message for the wider circuit here?  We all have to review how we portray our version of the message, though I for one wouldn't have said that you were exhibitionsist John.  Who knows, perhaps out of this blog we may create a forum where different styles can be shared, so that we can learn traits off each other??

Moving in mysterious ways

On Sunday 13th I heard Will Grady preach almost the same message at Stoke that I had been given for Tonbridge Rd the week before. On the need to be ready to change but at the same time to have a clear sense of what we should hold onto.  He based his sermon on different scriptures but found the same message in it. It is encouraging, especially when we sometimes question the divinity of our inspiration, to find that He has given the same to others.  Interesting, too, to hear how effectively the same ideas can be put accross in a quite different personal style. It made me wonder if I should consider toning down my sometimes extravagant style. Does it sometimes go beyond engagement and into exhibitionism? I recognise that I may not enjoy the answer to that question, but I undertake to listen.
Hi Tony Thank you for joining my blog  Its reflective in nature, and open to all to share insights and thoughts that will help us all.  if you could send me Sara and Dereks email address then I will invite them as well.

Preaching at Sittingbourne Methodist Church

This morning I lead the service at Sittingbourne Methodist Church and my preaching was on John 15: 1 to 8 Abiding in the True Vine
Tonbridge Road 6/5/12 I led the worship and gave a childrens address today - my first of the latter.  i think the servicde went well, certainly a better feel than the Swanscombe seervice.  Not without challenges though.  At the last minute the organist told me she could not possibly do two of the songs, we came up with two replacements only for her to say she could not do one of those.  We negotiated and she learnt the new song and it went well.  Learning points from today. volume OK attitude in pulpit OK probably a good idea to have a plan B for songs just in case..    I think I dealt with it OK, didn't get stressed and John came up with a saving song for which I am very grateful. I really enjoyed the childrens address.  Immediate feedback was encouraging, especially from another local preacher on trial who was in the congregation. - that means a lot. My next service i intend to use as a mock trial service, I am hoping to have a trial service on 1/7 and if that is satisf