OCTOBER
2004 GRAPEVINE
Temptation
is not sin. It is only when we yield, that it becomes sin. There is a saying;
“You cannot prevent birds flying over your head, but you can prevent birds
building nests in your hair”.
You
cannot help the suggestion of evil coming, but you can help holding it and harbouring it and allowing it to stay in your mind until
it hatches its brood. Dismissed at once it leaves no stain. Jesus Christ knew
what it was to be tempted. He told his disciples, “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:11).
The Concert
Bible Lands are
celebrating 150 years of Healing and hope by holding a
concert with special
guests.
The London Community
Gospel Choir ( No I hit - 0 Happy Days)
Note for a Child (a
very talented Duo)
Garth Hewitt (Light
a Candle in the Darkness)
Henrietta Tennyson
And presented by
Diane Louise Jordan (Blue Peter and Songs of Praise)
For 150 years Bible
Lands has supported Christian-led projects in the
lands of the Bible, initially throughout the
Venue - Friends House
Time & Date - Saturday 9th1 Oct ~ 7.3Opm
Tickets - £12.5Oeach- from - Jean Hatton,
Calling all youth workers
Your last reminder that there is an ecumenical
youth training session on Saturday 23~ Oct at
The programmed starts at l0.O0ani It is aimed
at anyone already involved in youth work or even if you are thinking of
becoming a youth worker/leader/Sunday school teacher.
This type of training is usually held much further away. so I suggest you get some training whilst it is convenient!
Christmas Donations to Demelza House
Is it to early to mention Christmas? Perhaps
but it’s never to early to mention Demelza House.
This year as in the last three
years Grapevine is inviting you to send your Christmas wishes to all your
friends and family through our pages. This will not only help save the earths
resources but if you also send the money you would otherwise spend on cards
then Demelza House would be grateful for the donations. Monetary donations are
guaranteed to reach Demelza House, Alcoholic and chocolate gifts are likely to
be intercepted and enjoyed by the editors!
Circuit One World Week
On Sunday ~ Oct, the Circuit will
celebrate One World Week by sharing together in a Bangladeshi Meal at 5.OOprn.
This will be followed at 6.30ptn by a special service led by our on-trial
preachers and Mrs. Maggie Wood will be the guest speaker.
Tickets for the meal are available at £3.00 for
an adult and £1.50 for a child
Please see Brian for the meal ticket (you don’t
need to eat the meal to attend the service)
Happiness is like a butterfly
The more you chase it
The more it will elude you
But if you turn your
attention to other
things
It will come and sit on your shoulder.
You are the Vine, we are the
branches.
You are the Vine, we are the
branches.
Keep us abiding in You
Then we’ll grow in Your name
Then we’ll go in Your name,
That the world will surely know,
that You have
the power to heal and to save.
Coffee Morning
Held every Wednesday at 1O.OOam. It’s nice
to see that more people are coming to our coffee mornings, in particular those who come
from our sister churches. Every visitor is assured of a warm welcome.
Almighty God.
Who wonderfully created us in Your
image, and yet more wonderfully restored us through Your Son Jesus Christ,
grant that as He came to share in our humanity, so may we share the life of His
divinity: who is alive and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen
The peace of God which passeth all
understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God
almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain
with you always.
What
a month of contrast September has been.
The
joy of seeing the happy faces, and hearing the laughter of my Grandchildren at
their birthday party as they played with their friends.
The
sadness on hearing the news of so many children being killed and maimed by
terrorist action in the very school room were not so long before they played
and laugh with their friends.
September
seems to be a time of testing it was
The
testing time of one’s faith and many Christians, the time when so many of us
ask, “Why does God allow evil?”?
There
is no answer to that this side of heaven. The closest we get to the answer is:
‘In order that we might believe’
It is
easy to believe in God when you are promised prosperity and prosper. You then
say, ‘I believe in God’ but will you believe in God when there is no reason,
when you have not been blessed’ For Faith to be Faith you believe in God even when
there is no corresponding evidence.
‘Now
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see’
(Hebrew 11: 1)
In
this time of doubt, this time of testing, we need to pray, gracious praying.
And in a time where people cry out for retaliation and vengeance we have an
almost unprecedented opportunity to shown an exceeding rare quality – it is
called ‘total forgiveness’ We need to begin for those involved instead of
attacking them also for those who are infected with racial hatred, for those
involved in pornography, in prostitution, in drugs, and for those disregard the
sanctity of human life. After all Jesus made it so clear.
But I
tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless
those who curse you, pray for those who ill treat you. If someone strikes you
on one check, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not
stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you and if anyone
takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would
have them do to you. (Luke 6 27-31).
Many
centuries ago, Saul of Tarsus was doing everything to eradicate Christianity;
the angles perhaps came and said to God, “What are we going to do about it?”
Shall we go down and wipe him out?” Did God tell them, “There are people
praying for him I think I’ll save him. I wonder how many really prayed for him.
And how many are praying for the terrorist today.
With
God, all things are possible. Let us prey that God will do what eye has not
seen, nor ear heard, what most people cannot even imagine would happen. If John
Wesley was right whe he said ‘God does nothing but in
answer to prayer’. Then someone must have prayed for Saul of Tarsus, the most
unlikely person to be converted.
God
bless Eddie.
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