 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
good morning and welcome to our weekly
worship
here in the parish of hawkwell it's
great to be with you again
after a couple of weeks of leave and i'm
very thankful for those
who led both the online worship and our
live
services in my absence thank you to
everyone
involved i'm going to start our service
this morning by
reading some verses from psalm 149
praise the lord sing to the lord a new
song his praise in the assembly of his
faithful people
let israel rejoice in their makeup let
the people of zion be glad
in their king let them praise his
name with dancing and make music to him
with timbrel
and harp for the lord takes delight in
his people
he crowns the humble with victory
let his faithful people rejoice in his
honor
and sing for joy on their best
so as we gather to worship to give
praise to our lord to give thanks to him
for his faithfulness for all that he has
done
for us let us join together
in prayer
almighty god to whom all hearts are
open all desires known and from whom no
secrets
are hidden cleanse the thoughts of our
hearts
by the inspiration of your holy spirit
that we may perfectly love you
and worthily magnify your holy name
through christ our lord amen
our lord jesus christ said the first
commandment
is this hear o israel the lord
our god is the only lord
you shall love the lord your god with
all your heart with all your soul
with all your mind and with all your
strength
the second is this love your neighbor
as yourself there is no other
commandment greater than this
all these two commandments hang all the
law
and the prophets amen
lord have mercy
and as we hear jesus's answer to what
should
be the priority for our lives what the
godly
life looks like we realize that each of
us
falls short of that expectation that we
have not always
loved the lord our god with all our
heart mind soul and strength
we have not always loved our neighbor as
ourself we have fallen short
we have sinned and so a moment to
reflect
and to bring these things to our father
in the knowledge that he is full of
grace and forgiveness
and wants to strengthen and empower
and encourage us to be able to live the
lives he calls us to
the gospel cause us to turn away from
sin
and be faithful to christ as we offer
ourselves to him in penitence and faith
we renew our confidence and we trust
in his mercy
you might like to join me in a prayer of
confession
lord god we have sinned
against you we have done evil in your
sight
we are sorry and repent
have mercy on us according to your love
wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us
from
our sin renew a right spirit within us
and restore us to the joy of your
salvation
through jesus christ our lord
amen
almighty god whom jesus christ has given
us a kingdom that
cannot be destroyed forgive us our sins
open our eyes to god's truth strengthen
us to do
god's will and give us the joy of his
kingdom through jesus christ our lord
army
we're going to continue now in songs of
praise to our lord and king
 
i
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
thank you lord
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
we thank you that you are
with us
in the hard times the bad times as well
as in the good
and all we thank you for your promise
that you walk
with those times to rest lord
september feels like a new start
yes so much is not new
lord we pray for our children going back
to school we pray for those perhaps you
are starting
to commute again but lord in our church
life where so much is
feels like on pause father we pray that
you will continue
to sustain us and hold us together as
your church family
continue to encourage and bless us
and continue to give us wisdom the best
way
to meet together support one another to
share
of your love and to meet together to
learn of you to sing your praise
lord despite all that seems so uncertain
we thank you that one thing is certain
and that is your love for us
your love for us demonstrated
through the death of your son that death
which
brings us back to you
that resurrection that gives us hope
that one day we too will be raised with
you
and lord we thank you that we can
experience that
resurrection power your holy spirit at
work
in our lives today father we thank you
for this hope we thank you
we thank you
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
the first of this morning's readings
comes from romans 13
and he's from verses 8 to 14
let no dent remain outstanding except
the continued debt to love one another
for whoever loves others has fulfilled
the law
the commandments you shall not commit
adultery you shall not murder
you shall not steal you shall not covet
and whatever other command there may be
are summed up in this one command love
your neighbor
as yourself love does no harm to a
neighbor
therefore love is the fulfillment of the
law
and do this understanding the present
time
the hour has come already for you to
wake up from your slumber
because our salvation is nearer now than
when we first believed
the night is nearly over the day is
almost here
so let us put aside the deeds of
darkness and put on the armor of light
let us behave decently as in the daytime
not in carousing and drunkenness
not in sexual immorality and debauchery
not in dissension and jealousy rather
clothe yourselves with the lord jesus
christ
and do not think about how to gratify
the desires of the flesh
the gospel reading this morning is from
the gospel of matthew
chapter 18 and this is from verses 15 to
20.
if your brother or sister sins go and
point out their fault
just between the two of you if they
listen to you
you have won them over but if they will
not listen
take one or two others along so that
every matter may be established by the
testimony of two or three witnesses
if they still refuse to listen tell it
to the church
and if they refuse to listen even to the
church
treat them as you would a pagan or a tax
collector
truly i tell you whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven
and whatever you loose on earth will be
loosed in heaven
again truly i tell you that if two of
you on earth
agree about anything they ask for it
will be done for them
by my father in heaven for where two or
three gather in my name
there i am with them this is the word of
the lord
thanks be to god
hi everyone when i looked in the
lectionary and saw the bible reading for
today's talk
i thought oh no do i have to preach on
that
the passage is entitled dealing with sin
in the church
incidentally this title isn't in the
original manuscripts
it's been added to help us distinguish
between passages
as a most titles in the bible what is in
the passage though
is jesus teaching and it's very much
counter cultural to today
i'm talking about the modern idea of if
it feels good
do it nobody has the right to judge
others
it's all down to your own personal
desire or choice
yet what jesus says here makes no sense
at all
if we go along with that modern cultural
mindset
so imagine with me this scenario
you are a parent of young children or
teenagers
and they're regularly in the company of
others that you feel might be a bad
influence on them
their ideas or activities are contrary
to your own
and you're worried that because of their
influence your children might be led
astray
equally your child might have already
gone astray and is doing things that
distress you
what do you do these are actually the
kinds of concerns that any christian
leader or minister
might sometimes have for the people in
their congregation
especially if someone in the church has
begun to talk about
or engage in activities that might cause
harm to
them or to others now speaking to
someone about the wrong that they are
doing
is not something any minister wants to
do
but it may sometimes hopefully really
be necessary and even as an ordinary
christian
you might have similar concerns for a
close christian friend
who is doing something foolish and you
feel that perhaps you should talk to
them about it
well the reading that we've had today
from matthew 18
speaks directly about this scenario
but before we look more closely at it
it's helpful to consider the context
so let's consider what happened
immediately before jesus said these
things
verse 1 of matthew 18 tells us at that
time
the disciples came to jesus and asked
who then is the greatest in the kingdom
of heaven
jesus answer cuts right through this
steve thomason writes that in effect
jesus says to his disciples
wrong question as leaders of the church
you should be asking
who's missing and how can we restore
them
so verse 2 he called a little child to
him
and placed the child among them and he
said
truly i tell you unless you change and
become like little children
you will never enter the kingdom of
heaven
jesus is talking about simple childlike
yet profound faith and trust in god
therefore he says whoever takes the
lowly position of this child
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven
and whoever welcomes one such child in
my
name welcomes me
now jesus is not suggesting that to
believe in god
we need to surrender our intelligence on
the contrary
when you read the bible especially the
new testament
and understand a little history
believing in god and trusting in jesus
christ as lord
and savior makes absolute sense
both logically and emotionally
what jesus is talking about is the
simple acceptance
that we don't have all the answers to
the many questions of life
but that we can accept and believe that
there is one
who does know one in whom we can entrust
our lives who has given us a guidebook
to follow
that will lead us in the right true and
safe
path we don't have to struggle with a
hundred different
opinions about what is best for us
just follow what jesus says
interestingly jesus then talks about not
stumbling others
or leading them away from god's will and
way
and he talks about the seriousness of
sin which is simply thinking or doing
things that are contrary
to god's will and word if your hand or
foot causes you to stumble jesus says
cut it off and throw it away
if your eye causes you to stumble gouge
it out and throw it away
he's being deliberately extreme in his
language here
trying to show how serious and damaging
sin is after this
jesus tells the parable of the lost
sheep and the shepherd
trying to find and save that sheep
he's talking about his love and concern
for the person that has gone astray
and fallen into sin jesus doesn't want
anyone to be lost
so he reaches out in grace and love to
save them
and he wants us to do the same
so this then is the context in which
we're to understand jesus words
that follow in matthew 18 verses 15 to
20.
let's read again a part of that if your
brother or sister sins
go and point out their fault jesus says
just between the two of you
if they listen to you you have won them
over
but if they will not listen take one or
two others along
so that every matter may be established
by the testimony of two or three
witnesses
if they still refuse to listen tell it
to the church
and if they refuse to listen even to the
church
treat them as you would a pagan or a tax
collector
okay so there are four essential things
i'd like us to consider and remember
if we are ever in this situation and
thinking about going to speak to someone
about any mistake they might be making
or pain that they are causing
so the first essential is prayer and
personal relationship
before you do anything pray as to
whether it's right for you to say
anything listen for what god might want
to say to
you about this situation and think about
whether you have a close enough personal
relationship
that allows you to gently speak to the
person
this is so important we've got to be so
careful here
about our own hard attitude
in fact jesus says in matthew 7 verses 1
to 2
do not judge or you too will be judged
for in the same way as you judge others
you will be judged
and with the measure you use it will be
measured to you
so this isn't about any sense of moral
or theological superiority
for we're all sinners saved by grace
and brought into a wonderful
relationship with god
full of hope peace and joy
no this is about reaching out in love
and care
purely because we do love and care and
because we want what's best for everyone
as taught in the bible and prayerfully
and thoughtfully applied to our own
lives first
now it's fair to say that in our modern
culture
speaking to someone about any kind of
wrong that they are doing
is not generally encouraged or easily
accepted
but as my namesake father mark goring
points out
the person who when you are doing
something foolish says to you
go for it it's okay just do whatever you
want
or hey if it feels good do it
that person does not love you or care
about you
on the other hand when you've gotten
into wrong thinking
and are in danger of making a mess of
your life the person who says
look my friend the thing you are doing
is wrong
it's a mistake that you're making here
that person
loves you and cares about you they don't
want to see you get hurt
or see you hurting anyone else
so we see that love and care can be
shown
when you are sure that god is leading
you in talking to
and in listening to someone and then
carefully and prayerfully reminding them
of what the bible teaches
about living a good and godly life
choosing god's way rather than their own
okay let's now look at the second
essential thing in this situation
jesus says speak in private first
not in public pastor steve thomason puts
it bluntly
he says let's make this plain and simple
whatever you do don't gossip
we all need to remember this don't we
there's an old story told about a man in
a small village
who was known as a gossip the people
were really upset about it
and they asked the wise wise sage of the
village to deal with it
so the wise sage took the man aside and
gave him a bag of feathers
he told him to go and spread those
feathers all over the village
and then come back the next morning the
man did as he was told
he spread the feathers all over the
place and then came back the next
morning
the sage told him to go and gather up
all the feathers that he had dropped the
day before
but so the man said that's impossible
the wind has spread my feathers
everywhere
i couldn't possibly get them all back
exactly the wise man said
and so it is when you gossip and spread
rumors about others
you can never take it back
so go to the person privately and share
with them your
concern for them and what it is that uh
is troubling you about what they are
doing
this way any misunderstanding can be
cleared up
and if you've spoken out of genuine love
and concern
the other person might respond
positively to what you've said
also writing about conflict or
disagreement
reverend john bedingfield says that
jesus prescription
is simply to go and talk about things
openly
and honestly and directly person to
person
he wanted people who had been hurt to
talk directly to the one who hurt them
and lay things out in an honest fashion
in the hope of having the issues worked
out
jesus doesn't say ambush them and
neither does he say
meet at high noon in the middle of main
street and shoot it out
let the best man win instead he says
that we should speak honestly and
directly with each other
not in anger but not hiding the hurt
that has been done either
now note that he does not suggest that
one person should be the winner
and one the loser no what jesus wants
is reconciliation both parties
getting back as much as possible to a
place of shared care and concern
of forgiveness and understanding
forgiveness is so important the passage
for today
is immediately followed by verse 21
then peter came to jesus and asked lord
how
many times shall i forgive my brother or
sister who sins against me
up to seven times jesus answered
i tell you not seven times but
seventy-seven times
or the original text could actually mean
70 times seven times
in other words always forgive
bitterness and resentment do no one any
good
1 thessalonians 3 says make sure that
nobody pays back wrong for wrong
but always strive to do what is good for
each other
and for everyone else and romans 12 17
says
do not repay anyone evil for evil
be careful to do what is right in the
eyes of everyone
if it is possible as far as it depends
on you
live at peace with everyone
so this is where we come to the third
essential and jesus's words
in verse 16 but if they will not listen
he says take one or two others along so
that every matter may be established by
the testimony
of two or three witnesses so the
essential here
is clarity not confusion
thomas says it is important to note that
you don't talk to other people to gang
up on the offender
you bring others in to ensure that the
words you are saying are loving and true
as you seek to help restore them to a
right relationship with god
and to the community of the church
here together as loving friends you are
sharing and teaching the wisdom of the
bible
with kindness and clarity
this way with other faithful christians
present any confusion or
misunderstanding can hopefully be
avoided
and grace and mercy shown without
compromising the truth
but what if they still refuse to listen
either to other christians or
subsequently even to the church as a
whole
what does jesus mean when he concludes
with
these words treat them as you would a
pagan
that's a non-believer or a tax collector
now this is where i'm not so sure about
the interpretation of jesus words that
many people take
let me explain i believe that the fourth
essential
in this situation is pursue
reconciliation
not removal or reconcile
not revile you see jesus words are taken
by some
to mean asking the unrepentant person to
leave the church
now it's important to understand that
this is unfortunately sometimes
necessary
particularly when the person's actions
are continuing to cause pain and harm
the apostle paul talks about such times
in 1 corinthians 5
and 6 but thankfully this happens
very rarely when it does it's also a
recognition that the shared values and
commitment of the community
have been broken but after they refuse
to accept what they are being told
is eventually asking someone to leave
the only way of dealing with their wrong
behavior
or ideas is that what jesus meant when
he said
treat them as you would a pagan or a tax
collector
remember reconciliation not removal is
clearly jesus goal
through this process or reconcile not
revile
there are different opinions on this
john bedingfield says
i would submit to you that jesus wasn't
really talking about putting people out
of the assembly
in a literal sense at least not in most
cases
i think it was more likely that it's an
extension of what c.s lewis talks about
in his book the great divorce the person
disagrees
refuses to be reconciled and then
consequently
begins to live farther and farther away
putting themselves out of the assembly
richard beck is professor and chair of
the department of psychology
at abilene christian university
about ideas of exclusion or asking the
person to leave
he says i wonder if that interpretation
of jesus words
makes any sense this passage is found
in between two parables of forgiveness
the parable of the lost sheep and the
parable of the unforgiving servant
in the parable of the lost sheep we see
the good shepherd
leaving the 99 sheep to find the one
that has got lost and after finding that
sheep a party is thrown
jesus tells the parable of the
unforgiving servant to illustrate
forgiving
seven times seventy times warning us of
the consequences
if we don't forgive your brother or
sister from your heart
in light of these parables that bookend
jesus discussion of church
discipline how are we to understand his
call to the unrepentant
to treat the unrepentant as pagans and
tax collectors
the key i think to resolving this
tension is found in observing
how jesus himself interacted with tax
collectors and sinners
that is it makes no sense to read jesus
as telling his followers
to treat tax collectors and sinners how
the pharisees were treating them
look at the contrast in matthew 9 verses
10 to 13
while jesus was having dinner at
matthew's house
many tax collectors and sinners came and
ate with him
and his disciples when the pharisees saw
this
they asked his disciples why does your
teacher eat
with tax collectors and sinners on
hearing this jesus said
it is not the healthy you need a doctor
but the sick
but go and learn what this means i
desire mercy
not sacrifice for i have not come to
call the righteous
but sinners these words are an almost
perfect anticipation of the parable of
the lost sheep
and if the shepherd finds the lost sheep
truly i tell you
he is happier about that one sheep than
about the 99 that did not
wander off professor beck continues
how might this understanding we treat
tax collectors
as jesus treated them change how people
have read matthew 18
verses 15 to 17. well it changes it
completely
no longer is this text read as a mandate
for exclusion
as a warrant for kicking people out
rather what we find is a mandate for
inclusion
a warrant for sending and seeking and
embracing
true if a brother or sister is engaged
in sin
our relationship with the church is
altered
you've become a lost sheep and a tax
collector
but if i am following jesus that doesn't
mean i'm excluding you
it actually means i'm pursuing you and
spending more time with you than ever
before
i'm leaving the 99 sheep back at the
church
and hanging out with you in the
wilderness
similarly john koontz who's professor of
christian theology at ambrose university
notes
perhaps the problem is we get it in our
head that the scenario
jesus speaks of is someone who is 100
right and someone else who is 100
percent wrong
on some obvious sin or doctrinal issue
surely there are those but more often it
is quite simply not that cut and dry
jesus instruction seems to built for way
more
than just the dragon offender into
admitting his guilt scenario
it seems to handle a dynamic of both
truth seeking
and reconciliation seeking
so now we come back to the question of
what we think jesus was recommending
as far as treatment of pagans and tax
collectors goes
coot says i wonder why on earth anyone
would insist on
always interpreting that expression in
light of typical first century jewish
thinking
rather than jesus's own prevalent
displays
about how to treat pagans and tax
collectors
after all what book are we reading this
story from
the gospel according to matthew matthew
was a tax collector
befriended and called forth by jesus
much to the disgust of the religious
leaders
of his day matthews is the gospel
in which jesus says to love one's
enemies and turned the other cheek
the tax collectors and sinners are shown
love
and given space and time to change their
mind
and repent of their wrong professor
coote says
i take it from here and other passages
such as matthew 6
john 20 ephesians 4 romans 7
that god is judge and we are showers of
mercy
it is one thing he says to suggest that
the church does not take refuses as
allies but another thing altogether to
suggest that one treats such refuses
any other way than lovingly and
mercifully
just as in christ god has done with us
there is no in or out here it's all in
let the refusers refuse ours is a
posture
of embrace these words
are inspiring as they emphasize love
and grace remember that sadly
in extreme circumstances it might
nevertheless be necessary for a minister
to eventually ask
an unrepentant person to leave the
church but only
after every alternative has been
explored and
time and space given for the holy spirit
to work in the heart and mind of that
brother or sister
let love and mercy do their work
so to conclude then our four essentials
when dealing with conflict or sin in the
church are these
first pray and check that we have a
close personal relationship with the
person
that we're thinking about talking to
second we speak to them in private not
in public
if this fails then third we seek clarity
not confusion by asking our minister
and perhaps another to join us in
reaching out again
to that person and fourth
reconcile not revile as micah 6 tells us
we act justly love mercy and walk humbly
with our god
interestingly all of this is supported
by the second new testament reading for
today
from romans 13. let no doubt remain
outstanding the apostle paul says accept
the continuing debt to love one another
for whoever loves others has fulfilled
the law
the commandments you shall not commit
adultery you shall not murder
you shall not steal you shall not covet
and whatever other command there may be
are summed up in this one command love
your neighbor
as yourself love does no harm to a
neighbor
therefore love is the fulfillment of the
law
the injunction to love your neighbor as
yourself rings out like a bell
paul of course is quoting jesus words in
matthew 22
also recorded in mark 12 and luke 10 and
repeated in galatians 5
and james 2 love the lord your god
jesus said with all your heart and with
all your soul
and with all your mind and love your
neighbor as yourself
all the law and the prophets hang on
these two commandments
and jesus makes it clear in the parable
of the good samaritan
that our neighbour is everyone including
people who
just like the samaritans are believers
but who are refusing to accept
all that we are saying and jesus was
actually quoting leviticus 19
do not seek revenge or bear a grudge
against anyone among your people
but love your neighbor as yourself
what is love 1 corinthians 13
4 love is patient love is kind
it does not envy it does not boast
it is not proud it does not dishonor
others
it is not self-seeking it is not easily
angered
it keeps no record of wrongs love does
not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth it always
protects
always trusts always hopes
always perseveres love
never fails amen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
good morning as we come together to pray
this morning i'm using some of the words
of the song
waymaker to guide us through our prayers
and those are way waker miracle worker
promise keeper light in the darkness
so let us pray father we come to you
this morning with humble hearts as we
recognize that you are the living
almighty god you bring us hope peace
unfailing love strength stability
and so much more thank you jesus that
you gave of yourself for us so that we
may be restored to relationship with our
father god
may we never take for granted the work
of the cross in our lives
we come to you father with thanksgiving
that you are the waymaker
the miracle worker the promised keeper
the light in the darkness
and we now lay the needs of of this
world and our hearts before you
father god you are the waymaker
we bring to you the many needs of people
across our world today
in particular for belarus that a way
would be remade in the turmoil there
with all the protests going on
for lebanon that a way would be made for
peace for the people still struggling
with grief
and displacement after the huge
explosion there
for america that you would make a way of
peace for troubled lives in all the
unrest there
for a way made for the right person to
be made president
later in the year for the many refugees
across our nation that are suffering in
over cramped
overcrowded camps and still risking
their lives to find freedom
and that you lord would find a way for
them to be free
to live in wholeness and healing lord
in your mercy hear our prayer
father god you are the miracle worker
for our own country lord we bring to you
the many people still struggling
in coping with the effects of the covid
virus
be their miracle worker in each and
every situation
father for those who are struggling
financially particularly as many
businesses are unable to reopen
yet for those who are still struggling
with the loneliness that seems to be so
prevalent
as we're still not able to meet as
closely as we would like
for emotional and physical needs across
this nation
lord be close to those in need and bring
your peace
as only you can we continue to ask that
you bring a miracle of revelation to
those concerned
in making a vaccine and for proper
testing to be available to those that
need it
lord in your mercy hear our prayer
father god you are the promise keeper
father we thank you that your promises
remain and that they are yes and amen
we thank you for the children in our
fellowship
we thank you that you've given us these
precious lives to nurture
and to care for for those who have
returned to school this week we continue
to ask for your protection over them
and for the strength and peace for them
to cope with the new normal at school
we thank you for the privilege of having
them in our fellowship
and pray that you would cover them with
your love and protection each day
we hold on to your promises for each of
them
for the little ones we pray to that they
may continue to grow
and be nurtured as they too cope with
the new normal for them
lord in your mercy hear our prayer
father god you are the light in the
darkness
father for those in our fellowship and
in our families that are struggling with
illness and difficult situations we ask
that you would be the light
in their darkness lord we lift them to
you now
as we speak out their names
bring light into every area for them now
that your light would bring
hope healing peace strength
and courage we thank you father for
answered prayer in many of these
situations that we've brought to you
and we continue to stand as family with
those that need a touch
from you lord in your mercy
hear our prayer
father we declare your majesty and
authority over this world
and ask that as the church we would
stand strong
and be the light in the darkness be the
word of hope on our lips
be the source of peace that we pass to
family and friends
and be that well of living water that
springs up
and overflows to meet not only our hopes
and desires
but also for those around us through
us be the waymaker the miracle worker
the promise keeper the light in their
darkness
this we ask all in the name of jesus
that all glory will be given to you
amen and as our savior taught us to pray
so we say together
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 forever amen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
thank you for joining us for our
online
service this morning it's good to
worship
together it's a
strange time we're at the start of
september which so often is a new start
children returning back to school people
returning to work after the summer
church activities restarting perhaps new
activities
starting and this year it's all
a little different yes children are
going to school and some of
the children in our church family
actually starting new schools going on
secondary school
or moving schools so please do pray for
them that they settle in well
but for our church family we're in a
sort of a halfway stage
yes our live worship has started by
meeting
each sunday at emmanuel but very few of
us at the moment able to
come along so as we spoke over the
summer
about what we need to do in the autumn
term the real sense of what we need to
do is to enable
people more people to come together in a
larger gathering
so that we get that sense of church
family
our house groups are fantastic and
from this week we're asking that those
house groups return to following the
nino pattern
nurture and intercession and nurture
and outreach but we also feel the need
for to allow larger social gatherings
perhaps with
a thought for a day and a prayer as well
so what we're looking to do
is to restart the usual monthly coffee
morning
and cuppa and cake afternoon but
on zoo so sit down on your sofa with a
cup of tea and if you're fortunate to
have a piece of cake
fantastic and to be able to socialise
with the church family with other
friends
online on zoom we're still talking about
the exact details how we do this i hope
to announce that
next week if you want a pencil in your
diary
it would usually be the third tuesday
morning
each month so that will perhaps be the
net the first occasion
we come together and if anyone has any
ideas of
what we might be able to do please do
contact me to
to pass on those ideas
the other thing that we felt was
important was to continue to enable
people
to explore the faith there are many
people
who are new to church tuning into our
services who'd like to know more
about the christian faith you may have
friends or relatives who've been asking
questions
over these months the way you usually
would do that would be by running an
alpha course
here at mary's on sunday evening with
food and fellowship
and watching the talks and having times
of discussion
again it's going to be a little while
till we're able to do something like
that
what many churches are doing though is
running alpha
online using zoom sharing the talks
and then having a chance to talk about
them from the comfort
of their own homes so please do pray
about that as we look into the practical
details
perhaps in a month or so it's time
starting alpha
online and just think about who you
might like to invite
um to join in with that
maybe someone who would previously have
been put off
actually walking into the church
building
maybe it would be more attractive for
them to be able to do it from the
comfort of their own home not actually
have to go
into a strange place so please do
pray about that
those people we know and are praying for
who are in hospital at the moment or
unwell or near the end of life they
continue to be
in our thoughts and prayers as does
everybody who is feeling isolated or
uncertain about the future at the moment
if you have any particular needs or if
you know
someone else who perhaps we're not aware
of their needs
again please do get in touch i'd much
rather
three or four people tell me about a
pastoral situation
than no one so please do share
if you have a need or know someone else
who might have a need
so a final prayer of betting to close
our time together
the peace of god which passes all
understanding
keep your hearts and minds in the
knowledge and love of god
and of his son jesus christ our lord
and the blessing of god almighty the
father the son
and the holy spirit be among you
and remain with you always amen
go in peace to love and serve the lord
in the name of christ amen
 
