New situations require new words. And we’ve learned some new words these last few weeks, with the new situation we find ourselves in with coronavirus – phrases like “self-isolation” and “social distancing.” And we’re finding it hard. It’s not hard to learn the words, but it’s hard to do the isolating and the distancing.
Read moreDear Brothers and Sisters, A lot has changed because of the coronavirus outbreak, and we are all learning new ways of doing things. Some of us even find ourselves using ‘apps’ we didn’t know existed until this week! There are many things that have not changed, however, and one of those is our vision as
Read moreDear Brothers and Sisters, These are strange times we are in. I certainly haven’t experienced anything like it before. We are all wondering how to respond, not only as human beings but also as believers – not least with the advice changing weekly and even daily. The purpose of this message is to let you
Read moreDear Friends, What would Jesus say about the coronavirus? It’s a good question to ask about anything, and a useful way of sharing the faith: “What would Jesus say?” It sounds like a tricky question to answer in this case. It’s not as if we can look up the word “coronavirus” in a concordance or
Read moreDear Friends, With coronavirus grabbing the headlines daily, we are forced to think about sickness more than we usually do. I have found myself turning to The Order for the Visitation of the Sick in The Book of Common Prayer. Dwelling on its words is like taking a walk in the mountains: it is a
Read moreDear Friends, Many of us have been following one of the ‘Six Steps’ courses in our Fellowship Groups, equipping us to serve others through prayerfully speaking God’s word to ourselves, to one another and to those who are not yet Christians. This is now the sixth ‘Thought for the Week’ on this theme of being
Read moreDear Friends, One specific way in which Christians are encouraged to be ‘equipped’, ’ready’ or ‘prepared’ is in explaining what we believe. Peter urges his readers, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15, NIV). I have often
Read moreDear Friends, We have been thinking about how God equips us to serve him in prayerfully speaking his word in different situations. Now, the idea of being equipped is closely related to the idea of being ready or prepared. When we’re equipped, prepared or ready we have everything we need and don’t need anything more.
Read moreDear Friends, In the last couple of these ‘Thoughts for the Week’ we have been thinking about being ‘Equipped to Serve’ in making disciples of Jesus by prayerfully speaking God’s word to ourselves, to one another and to those who don’t yet believe. So far we have seen that it is God himself who does
Read moreDear Friends, Last week we saw that it is God himself who equips us for doing his will (see Hebrews 13:20-21). This week we turn to another ‘equipping’ verse in the New Testament, and we get a clearer picture of how God does the equipping. Writing to his younger ministry colleague Timothy, Paul reminds him
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