2020 Vision

Why do you seek refuge? It's because of the storm. It is only when the wind is howling and the rain lashing down that a refuge proves it's worth! God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalm 46:1-3 God proves his worth not by saving us from the storm, but by protecting us

What image comes into your mind when you hear the word righteousness? Are they positive or negative? For many it could be images of pride at being right; or of someone who is perfect and very tight - unable to let go and have fun. That's not the bibles image. And today's Psalm corrects our image. The word righteous is mentioned 3 times in our reading. Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make

2nd chances are sometimes hard to come by, and often have many strings attached. That isn't how God works! Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown

The opening chapters of any book set the scene about what is to come. They introduce us to the main characters, revealing a little about who they are. Genesis 3 is such a chapter. The interactions between the three characters here will play out through the rest of the book, and continue to be played out today. Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in th

When you hear about a hero, what picture comes to your mind? Films have shaped our image, from Superman and Ironman to James Bond and Sherlock Holmes, we expect our heroes to look and act in a certain way. The hero the Jewish people were waiting for - Messiah - was different. Who has believed our messageand to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?He grew up before him like a tender shoot,and like a root out of dry ground.He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,

Often today a person can be acquitted of a crime in a court of law, but condemned by the court of public opinion. A judge has ruled, but the public hold the power. There is nothing new under the sun. Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent

In the darkness of night, Jesus feels the shadow of the cross. Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with trouble to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."Going a little further, he fell with his face to the ground and prayer

A prayer based on Acts 11:19-30 Lord God,Thank you for calling us to be your church.We praise you for the privilege of worship and the honour of witnessing to you.Above all, we thank you that your gospel is true. As we and those we witness to meet and respond to you - their sins are forgiven and lives transfromed.As your church - gathered or scattered,we ask that our witness will be clear and our love genuine.May we never hide, spin or be ashamed of Jesus. May we never with

A prayer based on Romans 12. Lord God,Your mercy is great, your love is unending,your grace is sufficent for all our needs. Our words are not enough to say thank you.How can lips tell of all that you have done?We cannot sing loud enough to declare how great your are. You deserve more; you deserve our all.We offer you our bodies as a living sacrfice.We give you our all, as an act of continual worship. Thank you for equipping us with gifts,May we know these and use them in the

A prayer based on 1 Peter 1:22 - 2:12 Lord God, You have spoken, And your word has brought us to live. We praise you for your living and enduring word.Word which nourishes and sustains us. Word which causes us to grow. You are building, Taking and placing us as living stones in your spiritual house. We praise you for bringing us together as your people in this place, For making us a holy people, a royal priesthood,For giving us a song to sing, declaring your praise. As you sp

A prayer based on Revelation 7:9-17 Lord of the Churc h, We are struck by the glorious sight of your church praising you.People from every tribe, nation and language - lifting their voices, pouring out their hearts and falling on their faces before you in praise. Thank you for making your church diverse.For the mix of nations, cultures, personalities, ages - that makes your church diverse and vibrant.May we be a church where all people are welcomed, as you the Lord of the chu

As we think through mission planning, I want to highlight a book which I have found hugely helpful in my understanding. Ministries of Mercyis written by Tim Keller. The opening section is based on the parable of the good Samaritan. Each chapter gives a short overview, which I reproduce for you below. Keller has also written Generous Justice, which is also very helpful... and probably slightly easier to read! Here is Kellers overview Mercy to the full range of human nee

In our service today we worshipped, listened to God, dreamed and discussed as we sought to discern what God is calling us to do to build his kingdom in Moodiesburn. We discovered that God calls us to 'love God and love our neighbour' and sought to put flesh on those bones, giving shape to our mission plan. When we put together a mission plan, and specifically fleshed out what it means to love our neighbours we feel a tension, that Christians often feel, between social actio