Church at its best

On Sunday morning it was announced that our minister is taking a short break for personal reasons for rest and reflection. This news was met by shock and dismay by the congregation. Having been in a Church where this has happened before and no one seemed to mind, I was overcome by the out pouring of love people showed towards our minister and his family. There were tears and upset but overwhelmingly a sense of calling on God for guidance, wisdom and provision.

Both services were filled with a tangible sense of the presence of God and the evening service in particular was sensitively and thoughfully led giving people time to reflect on God and an amazing time of open prayer happened where people prayed thoughtfully and with thanksgiving for what God has done and what God will do in this difficult and uncertain time.

This to me is Church as it should be with Jesus at the centre, guiding us and leading us. We were united around Him and were called afresh to focus on His word for guidance and comfort. We loved and supported each other and differences were cast aside. I can only pray that it continues and that the next three months will draw us as a community closer to the potter and that we will allow Him to shape and refine us.

Half Term Happenings

After a very busy summer holiday decorating our house, we have had a lovely chilled week off school. Went for a long walk in the Lake District around Great and Little Langdale which was just inspiring. Being that close to nature in all its glory makes me so aware of the majesty of God. But my legs ached for the rest of the week!!

We've played lots of board games with the Crowther and Downes and I have done plenty of scrap booking of our holiday in Gozo last summer. Have also sadly had to do some school work and been in to change a display around. Stephen has been very excited to go out and spend a couple of days policing with a regular officer and is always full of stories of exciting events that have happened!!

Alpha was still on and continues to excite me even though one of my group thinks I'm "sad" because I've read the Bible from cover to cover!! On the other hand another member of the group has started reading a Bible for the first time. Life is good and all about living it to the full -awesome!!

Alpha

As previously mentioned I am a small group leader at our Church Alpha course, although terrified by the propsect at the beginning, I am pleased to report that I am loving every minute of the course. Our group is nice and chatty and full of the kind of tough questions that make me think but show me that people are actively seeking God in their lives, it such a huge blessing to share a part of their journey of faith with them and everyweek I get more and more excited about the group members. I am praying earnestly and if you feel so inclined I would love to ask you to do the same, this is kingdom building stuff and its exciting and challenging.