By -
Since my last entry, I have managed to successfully rewrite one of the exegeses required for section B (the second of 4 sections A,B,C,D which make up the entirety of Faith and Worship).  I am now almost ready to submit Section C at the end of this month.  Today I gave an assessed service at my home Church,  Gillingham Methodist Church, which was received very positively.  The comments afterwards were very encouraging, and I am grateful for both assessors for their constructive critique afterwards.  The worship group again sparkled, the sermon was clear and succinct.  The prayers were relevant.  It seemed clear to me that the Holy Spirit was present, especially with the contribution of the congregation and their mood after the service.  One person came to me after, and said he had come to Church this morning fearful for the state of the world, and was leaving re-assured.  Praise God.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Je Suis Charlie

By -
This week saw the horror of terrorism on the streets of France.  Today, we saw a city united in strength of resolve to stand against terrorism, against fear, against violence and for the freedom of speech and thought.   http:// instagram.com/p/xuVtR5HRDU/   # JeSuisCharlie pic.twitter.com/nsPjn7MVLj No doubt while many seek to work for an inclusive peaceful society, there will still be the scaremongerers, especially those with a axe to grind, those who fear equality, those who require that their version of reality is the version that is played out. The trouble with forcing views on others, is that it simply doesn't work, and for me that is the essential appeal of Christianity.  I am not talking about some of the abuses everyone knows about in the history of Christianity, rather I am talking about the radical message that Jesus brought to the 1st Century.  To a Roman Empire that new nothing of the concept of mercy, he spoke of loving our enemy.  He pro...
Read more

Getting back to Eden

By -
We live in a world that to all intents and purposed doesn’t work in the way that it should.   We only have to look at the news sources to see new ways that humans find to damage others.   Most often it is the poor and weak who are taken advantage of, sometimes sold into slavery, often victims of ideological conflict in one shape or another. How then can we preach the Good News, in the face of illness, of poverty, of hatred, of fear, of dishonesty? We see this incongruity in Psalm 82, where the psalmist calls out to God, “How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?”   The psalmist continues to berate God, reminding him of his responsibilities to give justice to the weak, to look after the orphan, to rescue the weak and needy.   As usual with the psalms, it is an open and frank relationship enjoyed with God.   The closing lines can be seen as an affirmation of God’s lordship over all the earth, whilst conversely, the psalmist ...
Read more

prayer of confession and forgiveness

By -
Please take a moment to open your hearts to God, to the love and forgiveness of God. Father, too often we praise you with empty hearts We offer worship with our lips alone We ignore the plight of our neighbour We love ourselves more that we love another We talk rather than listen We often run before we pray We are Sorry. Help us to meet with you this morning and in the meeting be transformed Let our praise be with full hearts May our worship be from the soul Help us to love our neighbour as we love ourselves Help us to listen rather than talk Enable us to pray first   and run later For these are the words we long to hear I love you my child, you are forgiven.
Read more