Happy New Year to you all. We hope that you had a relaxing festive break over Christmas, and that the start of this new decade has been kind to you.
In coming into this new year we have been thinking of what it means to live a Christ-centred life. A life which is nourishing and sustaining and which doesn’t run on the last fumes of our energy with the risk of eventual burnout. As someone who has a toddler in the house, this vision seems a long way off compared to the reality of life as I experience it at the moment.
I am however reminded that life is lived in seasons, with adjustments being made with regard to the circumstances you currently find yourself in. So although my passion for Jesus, and the desire to see His kingdom come remain the same, the pace at which I seek to operate at is somewhat slower to allow for the other circumstances of life and family. God knows our circumstances, he knows what capacity we have, and therefore for some of us he’s not asking any more of us in terms of activity, but to simply dwell in his love and what he says over us as sons and daughters of the living God. For others of us, maybe he’s calling us to use the spare capacity we have in going deeper or further in the God adventure? But in all these circumstances, pacing ourselves for the long run is something we need to keep hold of. We’re not seeking to be a busy church, we’re seeking to be a church where God’s presence and purposes are made known – and so for all of us there is the imperative to slow down and seek God – to seek him for who he is rather than what we can get out of him. To be still and know that God is God.
So we do have a number of things in the diary this January, but we have tried to not fill it – to give space for us to seek God for ourselves. Over these next few weeks why don’t you try sitting down for an hour a week with no agenda, no list of petitions, and just listening in the silence for what God is saying?
In the meantime there’s a couple of things I would love to highlight:
The Alpha Course starts on Weds 15th Jan – 7.30 pm in church – please be thinking and praying about who to invite to come along? If you’re nervous about the reaction you may get I would encourage you to take the risk. I think you’ll be surprised in a good way by the reaction.
Central Church – Thurs 23rd Jan – 7.45 pm in church – These gatherings are our monthly teaching slots for the whole church – which take place instead of homegroups that week. Our very own Mark Aldridge will be coming to speak on prophecy.
Baptisms – Sunday 9th Feb at 10.30 am service. We’re having baptisms on this date in the 10.30 service followed by a bring and share lunch. If you have yet to be baptised or were baptised as a child and want to publicly declare yourself a follower of Jesus and be baptised, then please speak to one of the clergy team or contact the church office. The lunch afterwards gives us an opportunity to introduce any guests that may be joining us for the service to the church community and to build relational bridges that can be strengthened in the long run.
Have a great January. Blessings from us.