Monthly Magazine and Events, May 2010
Dear Friends Did you read ‘Election choices: why bother to vote?’ by Martin Miller in last month’s ‘Crux’? Did you read the New Westminster Declaration whose website I highlighted in Notices (www.westminster2010.org.uk in case you missed it) and hard copies of which I made available in St Thomas’? I’m relying on you doing so as I’m not going to write about the election in my letter this month. All I’m going to do is to encourage you to think carefully about the manifestos of those parties with which you normally disagree. Secondly, think about what is for the good of our nation and all nations, not merely what might benefit you and yours.
‘Football is not a matter of life and death – it far more important than that!’ – the words of the late Bill Shankly, one time manager of what my son assures is the best ever football club in the world! Our God Himself, in Himself is far more important than our own personal survival and fulfilment. ‘Woe unto me if I do not preach the Gospel!’ said St Paul in his first letter to the Christians in Corinth, ch 9, vs 16. Woe unto each of us if we do preach or communicate the good news of Jesus! We are all responsible people, accountable to God.
At his Ascension into the nearer presence of Our Father in heaven Jesus describes us as his witnesses to the ends of the earth. When invited we are to tell our stories of what God is doing for us, both as individuals and as churches. Yet this witnessing may provoke opposition. The Greet word for ‘witness’ is ‘martyr’ – in English the word ‘martyr’ has the stress on suffering for your witness. If our witness is to be credible, when people make themselves our enemies, we must love them without retaliation. Not many of us will be called to die in our witness though more of us may be called to suffer a living martyrdom and not so famously as Terry Waite.
But how do we find strength to witness, let alone suffer? God told Ezekiel (ch 37, vv 1 – 14) that His people were like dried up bones, feeling that they were without hope and without any future. Ezekiel was to prophecy to them that God would take them out of their living death and bring them back to their rightful inheritance as His people. He will put his breath, his life, his Spirit into them. God said ‘I havepromised that I would do this, and I will.’ He did – for those exiled Jews who were willing to receive him. He did – for the first disciples on the first Whitsunday. He has done so for believers ever since.
Opportunities in May
Current priorities of St Thomas’- as agreed by Church Council, September 2004 1. Evangelism/Church Growth out of love for people and because we need new members. 2. Worship, including Sunday School, Healing, Prayer and Music. 3. Witness to Asians through individual friendships and through shared work with the community. 4. Presence, that is letting people know that C of E Christians live and/or worship on the Coppice. 5. Working with St Paul’s, as we have been requested by the Diocese. |
