Morning all! - It was a joy to join in with others in the worship room yesterday afternoon, to pray together. Many building users over the years have made comment that whenever entering our premises, they are overwhelmed by a sense of peace, calm and love. This I am sure is no coincidence, & testimony to the faithful prayers that have been prayed within & beyond for almost 50 years. In the meantime, whether in or out of church, let’s continue to support one another and draw closer to God through prayer. I have valued already comments passed on to me regarding what folk have valued in these daily emails that Jess & I have compiled, again please pass on your thoughts if you have them, to help us shape what might put out in the future.  


Keep safe
Keep in touch
Keep the faith

Simon

 
Pause
 
Mark this time as one set aside for God by focusing on your breathing. 

Count to 5 as you breathe in, hold your breath for another 5, and then exhale slowly again counting to 5. 

You might want to think about the things you want to receive from God: holding a word in your mind as you breathe in, and equally share with Him a word concerning something particular that you want to hand over and leave with Him (perhaps a worry, care, concern or failing) when you breathe out.

 
Ponder

‘To what then will I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the market-place and calling to one another,“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.”
 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!”  Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children. Luke 7:31-35

Think:         

How easy is it for you to feel under pressure to please all the people all the time?

How do you feel when other Christians adopt different lifestyles from your own?


Pray

To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees. —Billy Graham

Church family Gabriel Oyediwura, Nyahsa and Malachi
     Quanita Ellison

Be open to new encounters God might be leading you to, despite whatever others might think

Pray for those preparing to start or return to college and higher education in the next few days

Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name, 
your kingdom come, 
your will be done,  
on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our sins 
as we forgive those who sin against us. 
Lead us not into temptation 
but deliver us from evil.  
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.  
Amen
 
Keep us, good Lord, 
under the shadow of your mercy. 
Sustain and support the anxious, 
be with those who care for the sick, 
and lift up all who are brought low; 
that we may find comfort 
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love 
in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Morning all! - A technology panic in the Rectory  this morning - the youngest’s phone is, due to a Direct Debit glitch, unable to use data or indeed make calls. 

Thankfully, when it comes to access to God, facilitated by Jesus’ death on the cross (as the church observed yesterday on Holy Cross day), we can always come into the presence of God at no cost (to ourselves). Do make the most of this privilege, through 3Ps today, or even consider joining us  actually in prayer in the worship room at 2.00 pm.

In the meantime, as ever;

Keep safe
Keep in touch
Keep the faith

Simon

 
Pause
 
Mark this time as one set aside for God by focusing on your breathing. 

Count to 5 as you breathe in, hold your breath for another 5, and then exhale slowly again counting to 5. 

You might want to think about the things you want to receive from God: holding a word in your mind as you breathe in, and equally share with Him a word concerning something particular that you want to hand over and leave with Him (perhaps a worry, care, concern or failing) when you breathe out.
 

Ponder

Soon afterwards he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, ‘Young man, I say to you, rise!’ The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen among us!’ and ‘God has looked favourably on his people!’ This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.  
Luke 7:11-17

Think:         

How do react to Jesus being moved by  “having compassion”?

Prompted by Andy’s sermon – do you hold God in awe?

        
Pray

To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees. —Billy Graham

Church family: Tim Craft Andy Crome 

Pray for those who unexpectedly find themselves grieving at present

Pray for the preachers and leaders team at church as we look at future services

Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name, 
your kingdom come, 
your will be done,  
on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our sins 
as we forgive those who sin against us. 
Lead us not into temptation 
but deliver us from evil.  
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.  
Amen
 
Keep us, good Lord, 
under the shadow of your mercy. 
Sustain and support the anxious, 
be with those who care for the sick, 
and lift up all who are brought low; 
that we may find comfort 
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love 
in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Morning all! - A sunny morning for once, and Jess & I were able to take advantage of it & hold our morning staff meeting outside. 

As well as reflecting on what we felt was a really encouraging start to our mixed mode Sunday worship experience (do please let us know your thoughts), we began to talk through what remains useful in these daily emails out to yourselves. Offering prayer opportunities & information, scripture to ponder on, and personal reflection, 3P’s has served us well. Moving forward, we’d like to hold on to what has been most valued, whilst creating space for new opportunities. So please again let us know your thoughts as to what in these emails you have found most helpful.

In the meantime, as ever;

Keep safe
Keep in touch
Keep the faith

Simon

 
Pause
 
Mark this time as one set aside for God by focusing on your breathing. 

Count to 5 as you breathe in, hold your breath for another 5, and then exhale slowly again counting to 5. 

You might want to think about the things you want to receive from God: holding a word in your mind as you breathe in, and equally share with Him a word concerning something particular that you want to hand over and leave with Him (perhaps a worry, care, concern or failing) when you breathe out.
 

Ponder

No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  John 3:13-17
​
Think:       

What is more important to you – the full life that Jesus offers now, or eternal life?

What do you need to be saved from today?

​
Pray

To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees. —Billy Graham

Church family: Amy, Alya, Eva and Noah Parkinson
Ros, Nick and Heidi Carr-Brown

For those in the world who as yet haven’t had the opportunity to hear of & respond to Jesus
 
For a unity of purpose amongst world leaders in their response to the challenges of Covid

Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name, 
your kingdom come, 
your will be done,  
on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our sins 
as we forgive those who sin against us. 
Lead us not into temptation 
but deliver us from evil.  
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.  
Amen
 
Keep us, good Lord, 
under the shadow of your mercy. 
Sustain and support the anxious, 
be with those who care for the sick, 
and lift up all who are brought low; 
that we may find comfort 
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love 
in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hi Everyone,
 
It was so good to be worshipping in the building this morning and to join with those who were worshipping from home. My heart sang as those of us in the building were clapping along with "He is" . Somehow our clapping expressed the the praise that we were unable to sing out loud. I also loved the sense of unity that there was between those at home and those in the building. I hope that you all felt that too.
 
Over the next few weeks we're going to be slowly introducing different things as we work out what works for us all and can be done safely; so watch this space. If you have any creative ideas, please let us know. Worship is the work of all of us towards an amazing God who is worthy of all our praise.
 
On that note, why don't we all take a moment to Pause, Ponder and Pray.
 
With Love
 
Jess
 
 
Pause
 
Take a moment now to recognise that you are in the presence of God. It might help to slow your breathing. Take a few deep breaths in and out.
 
Let’s proclaim together:
This is the day that the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
 
We say together our family prayer:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
 
 
Ponder
 
Today’s reading is Matthew 18:21-35
 
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
 
“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

How easy do you find it to forgive those who have wronged you?
 
How easy do you find it to relate to the picture of a Christian as being a forgiven sinner?
 
What is Jesus saying to you today?
 
 
Pray
 
Jesus, thank you that in you I find forgiveness. Help me to show mercy to others as you have been merciful to me. Amen
 
Say a prayer today for your family
 
On our church list today we pray for:
Kerry, Edwin, Sam, Rosa and Joel Collier
Jás
 
Let’s finish by saying this blessing:
May the Lord bless us and watch over us,
the Lord make his face shine upon us
and be gracious to us,
the Lord look kindly on us and give us peace..