For your diary You may remember the talk we had recently from Brian Nicholls based on Jesus' miracle of turning water into wine at Cana in Galilee. In the course of his presentation, Brian referred to some practical advice for churches in our modern day in the form of 'Ten Commandments' which a minister named Joel Edwards of the Evangelical Alliance had put together.
These Commandments are intended to act as an aid to Christians in modern day Britain by encouraging us all to take a fresh look at the churches to which we belong, rather than assuming that it is sufficient for us to continue doing 'the same old things'. A fresh look is urgently required as attendance at church services is falling at a time when our society is very much in need of the benefits of the Christan life. Indeed, we have to face the fact that many non-Christians feel that the church has distanced itself from the problems and needs of the communities it is meant to serve.
I thought it would be helpful to reproduce an expanded version of these 'Ten Commandments' in the Newsletter as a useful reminder of what we can do to keep the 'water pots' of our church filled with the fresh water of obedience and faith. Here they are:
1. Our church should be more than just a welcome mat, it should be a church which is really welcoming to those who come through the door.
2. Our church building should, in its decor and use, say 'hello' to the community which it is there to serve.
3. Our worship should never be a formality; we should always worship like we really mean it.
4. Our church should make everybody, no matter who they are or what their background is, feel 'important' in the sense that they are wanted by God for a role in His service.
5. Our church should be a place where youngsters are happy to come and where parents are happy to bring them.
6. Our fellowship should expect to grow in numbers and should act in the confidence that new people will come in.
7. Our preachers should give messages which are relevant to the times in which we live so that we clearly understand how to live as Christians in today's society.
8. Our fellowship should take the Bible seriously and certainly more seriously than we take ourselves. We should have confidence that the revelation of God which it provides is more important than 'political correctness'.
9. Our fellowship should talk about God as though He is present and has turned up to join us.
10. Our understanding of who Jesus is and what he can do should never be limited. He is the real man for all seasons, ready 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to share a relationship with each of us.
From Peter
Once,
On Sunday mornings
I roasted tins of fat -
And forgot to put the meat in
And set off for Church
And had to turn back
Before the kitchen went up in smoke!
Or
I sat in worship,
With the input of His Holy Spirit
Sailing over my head
While I fretted about getting home in time
To rescue the dinner from the oven.
Not any more!
Now, on Sundays we eat -
Oven chips and breaded fish from the freezer.
The oven isn't switched on till we get home.
Now, on Sundays,
I watch birds instead of pans,
I play Bach instead of peeling spuds
And my mind is free to concentrate on worship.
And I like it a lot better.
Let us thank God for Sabbaths -
And freezers!
By Chris Bowen
Mani Paneru, who many of you met at the Prayer Breakfast last March, sends his very best wishes to you all. He has recently travelled to San Franciso where is to do an intensive English course and hopes to do some teacher training as well.
All at AmaGhar are now well. Just after Christmas 25 out of the 33 went down with what turned out to be Chicken Pox. The temperature at night was plunging down below zero and with no heating in the house it must have been difficult to keep them all warm and get them better. It seems to have been an exceptionally cold winter this year with snow on the hills around them. It's now getting warmer and they are back at school and busy again. Four of the Class 4 girls are sitting a scholarship exam for one of the boarding schools. The local village school is very basic, with huge classes. My aim this year is to find a really good English course that I can introduce and hand over to Uma, the Housemother who is a trained teacher and very open to new ideas. She is a wonderful girl who seems to be able to turn her hand to everything. Bindu will be doing her final school exams in May and is thinking about nursing although getting a place in a nursing school isn't easy. Rupmala, the other older girl, was withdrawn from school as she wasn't coping and has been studying English in a small college in town and also going for singing lessons. It's given her confidence, which she really lacked, but the next problem will be to find her employment. Sushilla, the little girl who was so badly burned as a baby, has been offered free plastic surgery in Seattle and Parbitra, a very bright girl from a remote Himalayan area has had her extra thumb removed. As if they weren't busy enough, they have decided they can manage another four children, in the 3-4 years age range, and are busy interviewing for another 'auntie' to help. Ama, 80 this year, is still very active and is especially fond of the little ones. I look forward to seeing them all again in July, all several inches taller no doubt. It's such a joy to follow their progress and to get to know them better each time – I feel very privileged. Margaret
Please join us at our home, for a special time of prayer, where we raise our concerns to God and give thanks for our blessings. Please don't feel that you need to pray out loud, just come and enjoy the peace and privilege of sharing prayer with friends.
Mel & Carolyn
Future dates, all at 65 Village Street:
Prayer is part of the foundation and one of the building blocks of any successful church. Thanks to Mel and Carolyn we now have a real and regular opportunity to build on our prayer life together as a church family, (see 12th March entry) but ours is a 24/7 God, who is there no matter what. Wouldn't it be wonderful to know that if you needed them, there was someone within your own fellowship you could contact to request prayer, or to share prayer with either on the phone or in person. Prayer partners or triplets have worked extremely well in other churches, and we have decided to try it here. It simply puts into action what Christ asks of us 'Wherever two or more shall meet in my name, there will I be also' You may like to meet up occasionally with your partners in prayer at a time to suit, or agree on your own prayer diary.
If you would like to be included, we will simply hand round a basket on the first two Sundays in March, please add your name and contact number on the slip of paper provided and pop it in the basket. Your only commitment is to pray regularly with and for your own partners.
Think about it.
The big question - do you read them?
In August 1992, the Bicentennial year of BMS, I wrote my first newsletter and circulated copies to everyone attending our church at that time. In September last year, I wrote newsletter no. 33, and I think I can be fairly sure noone slipped through my net and managed to escape not being given one. Since September of last year, news has been coming via e-mail, instead of the occasional prayer letters, which has meant it has been much more up to date and so interesting that I want to pass it all on to you, I must apologise here that the print recently has been so small.
However, I am very aware that many of us are overwhelmed with reading material these days and a lot gets 'binned' unread. Because news will be coming through much more frequently, I don't want anyone to be embarrassed by asking you to tell me if you'd prefer not to be given letters in the future, but will put a notice on the board, asking you to put your name on the board if you'd like copies. I will put a copy on the notice board so anyone who wishes can read it there also.
I found it interesting rereading letter number 1, in 1992. Its on the notice board if you'd like to reminisce!
Love Vicky
by Mother Teresa
People are often unreasonable,
illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind,
people may accuse you
of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful,
you will win some
false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best
you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never
between you and them anyway.
For your diary Monday 8th March Deacons meeting 8 pm
Friday 12th March 8pm share prayer together
Good Friday Breakfast 9.00am chapel Join us for breakfast to mark this very special day.
Friday 26th March 20s30s Indian meal meet 7.45pm Baptist chapel
Friday 16th April 8 pm Share prayer together
Friday 30th April 8 pm 20s30s++easter egg hunt- why should the children have all the fun??
Monday 10th May 8 pm Church quarterly meeting
Friday 14th May 8pm Share prayer together
Friday 28th May 7.30 pm 20s30s++++party @ Neil & Vickies house
Friday 11th June 8 pm Share prayer together
This may look as if everything happens on a Friday! in fact these were dates specifically forwarded to me, you can really see we are a 7 day a week church by looking at http://www.harvington.org.uk/hbc/
We have a meal or coffee,
Sit and talk whenever we can,
Discussing every hiccup,
Taking place in our life's plan.
I do know you're my special friend
And I know I'll always try
To keep our friendship strong and true
As every day goes by.
God Bless Irene Deaner
Nestling among the hills in mid Wales lies the beautiful Elan Valley with its reservoirs and dams. The water is stored to maintain a plentiful supply of clean water for Birmingham. Before then, the water to the city was from wells and rivers and often of poor quality. Due to the industrial revolution, with many people coming to work in the factories, these sources were inadequate, so new supplies had to be found elsewhere. Wales with its valleys and high annual rainfall was surveyed and found to be a suitable site.
How could this vast amount of water be conveyed to Birmingham? They used the method King Hezekiah had used. He built a tunnel to bring water from Gihon to the pool of Siloam in Jerusalem in anticipation of an invasion. As the hills of Wales of high enough above Birmingham they were able to use the force of gravity. So the water was transported through 118 km (73 miles) of aqueduct saving the expense of installing and maintaining pumping machinery.
The work on the Elan Valley began in 1893 and in the thirteen years of the scheme, 1500 men were employed. 53 km (33 miles) of single track railway was laid with 8 locomotives to carry materials and workers. The Elan village was built to accommodate workers and their families with houses, schools, shops, a library, two hospitals and a mission hall.
The surrounding area has tree lined hills, fields with sheep and lamb, and an abundance of wildlife. The red kite with its rusty brown tail and upper wings is one of the most beautiful birds of prey that inhabit this area. I n the 19th century they were extinct in England and Scotland, but thanks to protection laws numbers have increased in mid Wales, Scotland and in some parts of the Midlands. At a farm near Rhayader the birds are fed with meat every day and hides have been provided, so the public can observe them. Kites were among the first birds of prey the Israelites were forbidden to eat.
Fred
Thank you to whoever sent this in (Woman Alive Dec. 2001)
Jesus has made it possible for me to go to a place where the past cannot strangle the present, and bodies cannot wear out, and tears will be wiped away, and relationships will be healed, and we shall very much be ourselves, and things will be as they were always intended to be, and there will be no more religion. We shall be happy and at home. Good News.
EXPLANATION OF GOD
by Danny Dutton of Chula Vista, CA - 8 years old
"One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grown-ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way He doesn't have to take up His valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.
"God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because He hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in His ears, unless He has thought of a way to turn it off.
"God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting His time by going over your Mom and Dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.
"Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren't any who come to our church.
"Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him. But He was good and kind, like His Father and He told His Father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said OK
"His Dad (God) appreciated everything that He had done and all His hard work on earth so He told Him He didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So He did. And now He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones He can take care of Himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.
"You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.
"You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God. Don't skip church or do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.
"If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.
"But...you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and He can take me back anytime He pleases.
And...that's why I believe in God."
Feeling inadequate for the task? Just remember that amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic!
NZ community magazine 2003
March 2004