Pastoral Message (Page 90)

By Not Known The Minister’s messages this month will each focus on a key ministy area in the life of our congregation. Today, the focus is in Christian Education. Christian education can be defined as the teaching and learning of the Bible to all age groups with the purpose of helping people to grow into Christian maturity. Let’s think about that definition.…

By Not Known Proverbs speaks about the value of a friend who sticks closer than a brother and who loves at all times (Pvbs 17:17, 18:24). It is wonderful when we have a friend who comes close to this ideal. However, it is a sad reality that no earthly friendship is fully like this. Our earthly friends may lack the will and the ability to be such a person. Our friends may…

By Not Known It is natural to make friends with people like ourselves. The people who are most like us may be the people we most like. And so we often form friendships within our own demographic of age, race, gender, educational level, interests, personality and such like. These friendships are ‘easy‘ and tend to be self- reinforcing of who we are. A…

By Not Known We humans are social creatures. This is an echo of God’s own social or relational nature in the Trinity. This means that we are designed for the company of others (Gen 2:18). In good social relationships, other people complete and complement us, provide care and bring us much joy. Christian fellowship and family are important expressions of this social…

By Not Known Joshua sums up the life that God’s people are called to when he urged his generation to “… fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness… and to… choose this day whom you will serve” (Jos 24:14-15). Our service and obedience of God depend on…

By Not Known Most of us seek a place to call ‘home’. However humble it is, our place has a special significance as the place of rest and being with loved ones. The Old Testament church found their sense of place and home in the land of Israel. Israel is not especially large and other countries are geographically better. But Israel was the land where the…

By Not Known As of today, 2007 has wasted seven days. Sounds pessimistic to begin with? Not quite! Many of us look forward to a new year with numerous aspirations. But as days turn to months and months to yet another year end, reminiscence takes over in increasing measure. That journey from aspiration to reminiscence is often dotted with several regrets – I should…

By Not Known At this time of year many of us are planning. Corporate bodies and public organisations look into the new year with a clear sense of what they want to achieve. We, like other churches, seek to be responsible stewards of the gospel by having a ministy plan to help achieve God’s kingdom goals The Bible tells us that it is good to plan (Luk 14:28-31) but…

By Not Known Ever since the Roman Emperor Constantine decided that Christmas should be celebrated on December 25th, the festival has grown in its trimmings. Special church services were organised and magnificent Christian music written to celebrate the coming of the Christ. Over the years we have added Christmas presents, cards, trees, holidays, parties, the turkey and…

By Not Known Today’s service of lessons and carols brings the whole sweep of the Christian faith before us. This is a good reminder Of how the birth of Jesus fits into the biggest story of them all – the stoy of a sovereignly gracious God reaching down to restore his creation to himself. The Bible tells a stoy of a kingdom made, lost and regained. The creation…