For your diaryGod does not ask your ability or your inability. He only asks for your availability.
Mary Kay Ash
You may be aware that we are still seeking deacons to serve our church. If you feel this speaks to you - or if you would like more information about becoming a deacon - see notice board in the porch.
For your diaryA different Easter Journey for 2007
Palm Sunday 1st April 10.45am
Maundy Thursday 5th April Day of fasting followed by traditional 7 pm Passover supper and communion
Good Friday 6th April - a time for reflection and remembrance 7 pm
Easter Celebration 8th April 10.45 am
House Group Tuesday 20th March 8pm Chris & Peters - no further dates set - will resume after Easter break
Prayer time
Monday 12th March 7.30 pm at Mel and Carolyns
Monday 21st May 7.30 pm at Ben and Emma's
Church Quarterly Meeting
Monday 23rd April 7.30 pm
Skittles and supper evening being organised by Ben in late March/April further details will be given in notices
Saturday 24th March 1 pm Spring Walk
Just testing the water for interest (hopefully not walking in it!- its got to stop raining soon) - several people have mentioned they would like to do another walk - if you fancy it can you sign up on sheet in porch
And looking to brighter days.................
Sunday 24th June Picnic lunch at Ragley Hall after the service
| Notice board |
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Service leaders'Light' magazine copies available, we receive two every quarter packed full of ideas, also DVDs with some copies - see Lynn As a church every year we collect for the operation Christmas Child shoe box appeal. This year - as the warehouse is remaining open for much of the year rather than seasonally - we are collecting year round! Particular needs are tablet soap, (no liquids allowed) toothpaste, pencils, crayons and writing paper - so perhaps next time you are in Morrisons or Tescos you can stick something extra in your trolley and bring it along for the box which we will keep in the old kitchen. |
Once more I must thank the two young (!!) ladies for taking us seniors out to see the snowdrops once again.
This year we went to Painswick Rococco Gardens and enjoyed a lovely afternoon of brilliant winter sunshine, although it was cold and the lake remained frozen over, a taste of what was to come perhaps as we woke up to all that snow the next day! After a lovely walk through the valley garden we finished up with pots of tea and lovely home made slices of cake. I know a good time was had by us all. Its good to know people care for us recycled teenagers!
God Bless to all
Irene
Our verse for the year is:- "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us". Ephesians 5: 1-2
But what does this mean to us in 2007
One of the amazing things about becoming a Christian is that we actually become God's children.
We all expect to see children looking and acting like their parents. Paul is saying here in Ephesians we must try to be like God as his children
What a challenge. - To some it might seem impossible. - To be like God, in some respects we can never be like God.
God is self sufficient - God has no needs, God literally needs nothing.
God is self existent - No one created God. We are accountable to God but God is accountable to no one.
God is Eternal - He has always existed and always will exist. No beginning no end.
He does not change with time.
God is all powerful - there is nothing he cannot do
God knows everything completely
God is truly awesome.
But there are other aspects of what God is like that we can share, parts of his character that he wants us to take as our own qualities so that we can be like him.
God is wise, just, faithful, good, loving, compassionate, merciful, patient, forgiving and sometimes angry.
These qualities we as Christians are encouraged to develop and exercise. God displays them perfectly while we stumble along - but in all these qualities we are to imitate God and that is why we have the Holy Spirit working alongside us.
You and I have been created in God's image and this is for a reason, He wants us to participate with Him in thinking about, in talking about, and in doing the things which are important and fun to him.
As we are spiritually children, he like any parents encourages us, accepts our efforts as well as our failures, he doesn't expect us to be perfect, he just wants us to learn and to succeed.
It does not matter how mature we are as Christian's He wants us to get better and better and to enjoy being a Christian more and more.
One way that God showed us how we should be like him was by sending Jesus to live on earth and throughout his life on earth Jesus by his teachings, actions and the way he lived showed us how we should live to be more like God.
The Apostle Paul encourages live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.
Our life must be controlled by love - we must live in love. What the world lacks today is love. - True love - agape
God loves each one of us dearly but how often are we caught up in our own anxieties that we won't allow ourselves to feel loved. We allow our lives to be ruled by our own fear and not ruled by love.
As we allow God to love us, just as a young child craves love, we will move closer to God.
But we must not only take love, we must also give it. The experience of love is a dynamic one, in which being loved is one step in the process the next is to share it.
Its like a circle - being dearly loved - living a life of love.
Feeling loved is the foundation for a life of love, and living a life of love results in feeling loved even more deeply.
In our bible verses we must live in love, and as we all know Jesus loved us so much that he gave his life for us. As we demonstrate a loving giving attitude towards others, so we please God
A lot of people hide behind a proud façade to hide their loneliness and hurt. As Christians we should strive to show God's love and brake through the outward exterior to try to understand their loneliness and hurt just as Jesus did.
By love we need to bring out in those who feel inadequate their strengths and potential.
True love means investing time to help and encourage. We have the joy of receiving God's love and the joy of sharing God's love with others.
Our world is crying out for Christian love and even in our village of Harvington we have many who do not know the true love of God. There are those who are hurt, lonely, sick, bereaved. Help us to show that we live by love and that Jesus loved us so much that he gave himself for us.
We are God's hands on earth - his witnesses. Let us today and throughout 2007 strive to put into practice Paul's words to the Ephesians "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us"
Let these words be the prayer, the mission and the witness of each one of us and together as a Church - Mel
The above have taken three ocean going ships, the Logos2 and the Doulos which have been converted into floating mission stations. For details of their third ship see OM Ships International.
Since OM was founded in 1970, These ships visited world wide ports in more than 142 countries taking bibles and tracts in the local language. They are manned by a totally voluntary multi national crew and staff of 600.
As an example of their work, after docking in Bangkok the crew visit local churches to promote shipboard seminars and availability of Thai bibles. They express their faith by helping in a more practical way, responding to community needs with construction work in Bangkok and doctors, nurses, and dentists travelling inland by whichever means available to them - boat or four wheel drive to offer free treatment.
Huge crowds visit the ship including more than 3,000 children who heard a clear gospel presentation. Among the visitors was a small group of Buddhist monks one of whom who asked about how he could become a Christian.
The Doulos is currently en route to the Philippines.
Courage can't see around corners, but goes around them anyway
Mignon McLaughlin
March 2007