Have a blessed NEW YEAR 2010

We wish you a blessed NEW YEAR 2010..

So we went to the Holly Bush in Salt, it was busy but not too packed and

 we were sitted near the fire, warm and cosy..

Starter,

 cornish brie in cranberry sauce for the birthday boy...

.green mussels with a mediterranean sauce for me

main,

greek lamb with chips for Steven

mixed grill with chips and mixed vegetables for me

desert

we asked to see the desert card but then decided there was no way we could eat anymore

so we went back home..

Verdict, lovely meal though a little bit too copious..still, there will not be any snacking until midnight !

Update on the evening

ligth entertainment provided by Faulty Towers...hilarious at times,
 absolutely bonkers, very good in small dose !!!

Blessings to all of you. In Jesus-Christ.

The 31st of december is always a special...

...day as it is Steven's birthday..We got up late, then unloaded the dishwasher, tried to book diner at the bank house but they're not serving food tonight, had coffee, did our bible reading, watched the birds, apparently there is a bullfinch that comes now and again, Steven saw it but I did not. The biggest job was trying to wake up Imogen. Somehow, in spite of our repetitive calls to go to bed at midnight, she stayed late watching a film..and went to sleep at 2ish !!. The postman delivered one of Steven's presents, from sister Pauline.
Steven opened his presents, socks, fish socks, a beautiful fish mug, a cristal tankard, a bottle of w..., a belt, an amplifier and a few other bits..Still no sight of Imogen.. At about 1pm we had a bite to eat, some smoked salmon and a few salad leaves..Imogen appeared..then a bit of seriously chocolate cake..By then Steven was on the phone to Dad and found it difficult to blow the candle..one of those that relight.
.After that, we went to Stone to buy some more food for the rabbit and seeds for the birds, had a drink in the Swan.. Camille rang me with some good news, her friend Cheryl will help her moving out of her room tomorrow.. I was a bit concerned  so I praise the Lord. Now we are watching this sweet and crazy comedy Overboard, Goldie Horne..
After that, we will go to the Holly Bush Inn in Salt.the good thing about it is that you dont need to book !
Have a blessed New Year's Eve !...

Thou shall not steal!

This is part of an article published in the Yorshire Evening Post.
Published Date: 21 December 2009
I don't have much time to read papers so I was surprised to read this story in an american blog...

Father Xxxxx, parish priest of St Lawrence and St Hilda in York, said stealing from large national chains was sometimes the best option many vulnerable people had. He told the congregation on Sunday: "My advice, as a Christian priest, is to shoplift. I do not offer such advice because I think that stealing is a good thing, or because I think it is harmless, for it is neither.
"I would ask that they do not steal from small, family businesses, but from large national businesses, knowing that the costs are ultimately passed on to the rest of us in the form of higher prices. "I would ask them not to take any more than they need, for any longer than they need."
He said society had failed many needy people and said it was far better that they shoplift than turn to more degrading or violent options such as prostitution, mugging or burglary.
"Rather, this is a call for our society no longer to treat its most vulnerable people with indifference and contempt."When people are released from prison, or find themselves suddenly without work or family support, then to leave them for weeks and weeks with inadequate or clumsy social support is monumental, catastrophic folly. We create a situation which leaves some people little option but crime."
The Venerable Richard Seed, Archdeacon of York said: "The Church of England does not advise anyone to shoplift, or break the law in any way. Father Xxxxx is raising important issues about the difficulties people face when benefits are not forthcoming, but shoplifting is not the way to overcome these difficulties."

Singing carols.

It has been hectic here. Here are a few photos from the evening we spent at the Bank House pub, without exagerating, the whole village was there singing carols heartily. Most carols were on the Bethlehem Carol Sheet, produced by Biblelands, and organisation that helps fund health, education and community development projects in the lands of the Bible.

Left to right, John, Steven, Maureen and Helga

This time, Ingrid sings between Steven and Helga

The children were eager to sing and participate too. I think the one they liked the best was: Ding dong! merrily on high. I'd better give you the website of the Bibleland society: http://www.biblelands.org.uk/

Underground, the youth and student Ministry of Open Doors

Open Door’s exists to strengthen the church in the most hostile places.


Our vision is of a world in which every Christian who is persecuted is remembered and supported by other Christians. We seek to alleviate their suffering, and to help them extend God’s Kingdom in their part of the world. Open Doors work has extended to Asia, SE Asia, Africa, Latin America, Central Asia and the Middle East.
Standing with those who share our faith but not our freedom is part of being a Christian. As followers of Jesus we’re part of the same family. This family stretches across the time zones, across the nations, cuts through all restrictions and no go areas… It unites us like nothing else.
We’re asking you and anyone you know to get involved in taking action for our suffering brothers and sisters. For many Christians around the world – we’re the only family they’ve got – they’re counting on us to be family.
“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.”
1 Corinthians 12:26

Underground
- raises awareness about the millions of Christians who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ, and mobilizes young people to do something about it.
- challenges young people to choose to live for Jesus and be a generation that takes faith and church seriously.

Think globally. Act justly. Live passionately as the Body of Christ.

.

A star

Artist: Scott Yardley   http://www.christart.com/

A Star

by Deborah Smith Plemmons

There appeared a star in Bethlehem,

Where born in a manger was God's Lamb.

The Angels praised God again and again,

Singing, "Glory to God...good will toward men".



The Shepherds came to see God's Son;

The Savior of mankind: the Holy One.

The wise men came the child to worship;

Although a lowly birth, they knew of His kingship.



They came when He was about two years old.

At His feet, they laid frankincense, myrrh, and gold.

Oh, worship the King of kings this day;

Give your life to Him and serve Him alway.

A Savior was born

A Savior was Born


by Casey Smith at www.christart.com

'Twas the very first Christmas, when over the earth,

The angels rejoiced at the sweet Savior's birth,

The stars filled the night in a brilliant display,

Above their Creator asleep in the hay;

The wise men laid gifts by the trough filled with straw,

Then bowing before Him, they worshiped in awe,

Joseph held Mary in a loving embrace,

As teardrops of joy trickled down her sweet face;

The glow of God's eyes shone from heaven that night,

Adorning His Son with their Glorious Light;

And Jesus, so tiny, lay peacefully still,

How blessed the promises He would fulfill,

That babe in the manger, so helpless and small,

Would lay down His life as atonement for all,

Death would be crushed and the veil, at last, torn,

For unto the world, a Savior was born.

Are you a scientifically minded reader ?

In that case, you will enjoy reading those quotes ...

'In view of such harmony in the cosmos, which I with my limited human mind, am able to recognise, there are yet people who say there is no God. But what makes me really angry is that they quote me for support of such views'. Albert EINSTEIN

'Atheism is so senseless'.
Isaac NEWTON

The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator. PASTEUR

and you may want to explore Ray's blog : http://raycomfortfood.blogspot.com

Have a blessed evening!

Patience!

Well, the vicar could not climb up the spire of Hixon church last Thursday due to an administrative error, a document hadn't been signed. It should happen this week! So this is something to look forward to. Also, here are other events to tag in your diary starting with next Sunday carols galore and on Christmas Eve a Christingle with a difference.

This is it! Crazy act is about to begin...

This is the time : 10 a.m. In a little bit more than 2 hours and 33 mn, the vicar will be climbing up the spire of Hixon church. Looking by the window, i see frost everywhere. Hopefully, it will be warmer by then. I will be at school but looking forward to see all the photos!

A true story

Charles Swindoll recounts a true story as told by Dr. Will Phillips of San Antonio, concerning one of his favorite patients, a wonderful Christian widow named Edith Burns. She had a habit of introducing herself by saying: "Hello, I'm Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would go on to explain the meaning of Easter and many times in so doing she would lead people to embrace a saving faith in Jesus. One day, with great sorrow on his face Dr. Phillips told Edith that her test results revealed the presence of an aggressive cancer and that she would not live much longer. Edith's reply was full of her typical faith. She said, "Don't be sad Dr. Phillips! Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and many of my friends. You have just told me that I am going to a place where I will celebrate Easter forever." As she said this, Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent Christian woman this Edith Burns is!"

Within a few weeks Edith had to be hospitalized and she requested that she be given non-Christian room-mates so she could explain to them the true meaning of Easter. As a result several women left that hospital as Christians. Unsaved nurses and orderlies also made decisions to follow Jesus because of Edith's witness. Pretty much everyone on that floor became a Christian except for the head nurse, Phyllis Cross. She made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith's faith. You see, Phyllis had been a nurse in an army hospital and felt she had seen and heard it all. She was the original "G. I. Jane" and had been married three times. Phyllis was hard, cold, and did everything by the book. One morning as Phyllis gave Edith a shot Edith said, "Phyllis, God loves you and I love you too. I've been praying for you." Phyllis frowned, "Well, you can quit praying for me. It won't work. I'm not interested." Edith replied, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home to heaven until you come into the family."
"Then you will never die," snapped Edith "because that will never happen." And she turned and marched out of the room.
Every day when Phillis walked into Edith's room, Edith would smile and say something like, "God loves you, Phyllis, and I love you too and I'm still praying for you." After weeks of this, Phyllis' heart warmed toward Edith such that she looked forward to caring for her. Gradually they became close friends. One day Phyllis found herself being literally drawn into Edith's room. She sat down on the side of the bed and said, "Edith, you have asked everyone here on the ward the question, 'Do you believe in Easter?' but you've never asked me." Edith said, "I wanted to many times but God told me to wait until you asked and now that you have...." and with that Edith took her Bible and shared with Phyllis the Easter Story. She told her all about Jesus Christ...His life and death and resurrection. Then Phyllis bowed her head and asked Jesus to come into her heart and life.
A few days later on Easter Sunday morning, Phyllis went into Edith's room to bring her some flowers and she found her dead. Her big black Bible was still open on her lap and a big smile was on her face. Phyllis noticed that Edith had been reading it because her left hand rested on John 14:2-4 where Jesus said, "In My Father's house are many rooms: if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am going." Edith's right hand was on Revelation 21:4 where it says, "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be anymore pain: for the former things are passed away." Phyllis took one look at Edith's dead body and lifted her face upward and with tears in her eyes said, "Happy Easter Edith! Happy Easter!"
Phyllis left Edith's room and walked quietly over to a table where two new student nurses were sitting. Phyllis smiled at them and said, "Hello. My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"

Crazy act 1

Hot from the Press. It looks as if Steven will go up the spire on Friday...depending on the weather of course..Unfortunately, I won't be able to see him do this exploit as I will be at school. I am sure there will be plenty of 'supporters' there. No time yet. I will keep you posted.

God's unconditional love for us

May the Lord bless you in abundance, in Jesus'name.

Online Christmas Radio - CBN.com

Online Christmas Radio - CBN.com

Advent Sunday

Malachi 4:1-6
and Mark 1:1-6
Who can remember and tell me what is deemed to be the greatest cliffhanger for any continuing TV series ?
The shooting of JR which was shown on the 21/03/1980. There were T-shirts and mugs and all sorts over the summer with 'who shot JR?' or 'I shot JR.. Do you remember? There was lots of speculation too..Larry Hagman says that even the Queen Mother tried to find out from him who it was only to be politely declined the answer. Everyone had to wait because of an actor's strike..So do you remember who did it?
Somebody said: Kristin. Correct, it was revealed on the 21/11 that Kristin Shepard shot him.
It was the greatest TV cliffhanger but guess what, it wasn't the greatest cliffhanger, we can beat that!

Malachi is the last of the Old Testament prophets and he says : Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel, Malachi 4:4. Israel struggled to remember and keep God's laws, God's word and they had prophets after prophets remind them and call them back to the Lord as they strayed and increasingly went after 'other gods'. In the 6th century they lost their land and were exiled to Babylon. The Lord God warned them this would happen if they weren't true to Him and it did happen because they didn't follow his Word. After the exile, as people trickled back in dribs and drabs, the city and the temple were rebuilt. Malachi didn't just encourage them to remember God's word, he said:
'See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes'. Over the years of silence that followed people started more and more to take hold of these and similar prophetic words and increasingly Israel became true to the word of the Lord and expecting an Elijah figure to come and announce the imminent arrival of the day of the Lord. They expected the Lord to do something mighty and so a great cliffhanger of speculation and expectation started.
 Malachi could have written this anytime from 568-433 B.C so speculation went on until a guy who looked like and sounded like a prophet appeared in the Judaean desert. Mark the first gospel writer pick up almost where Malachi left off - no birth of Jesus account, straight in with a huge announcement, Mark:1-1 Then just before Jesus goes back to heaven, read Matthew 28:18-20. To put it another way, remember the Word and share it with others till the day of the Lord. We sit within the greatest cliffhanger ever and Advent Sunday underlines and reminds us of this.
In conclusion, to remember God's word, it is necessary to read it, to share God's word, we have to live it and to teach God's word, we have to speak it, till he comes again!
Rev. S. Abram

An intelligent designer

At times, in the middle of a casual conversation, we have to answer some unexpected tricky questions. Those questions or statements could be just excuses or red herrings but still need answers or comments. They cannot be swept under the carpet as they seem to be one massive obstacle for some people to accept that the Lord is the creator. The doubts have taken over, the lies have confused them. Suddenly, science seems to be the reason why they cannot possibly believe in the Lord. Even though thousands of scientists and researchers are actually christian and that there is absolutely no problem with being a scientist and a Christian. To find objective and truthful answers, I suggest you visit the following site:
So where's the proof of God's existence? What would constitute objective proof of God? Well, consider the following self-evident and universally recognized truth: Concept and design necessitate an intelligent designer.
In accordance with our familiar axiom and in light of the tremendous advances we've made in molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics and information theory, the proof of God is all around us!

Through the microscope, we observe the E. coli bacterial flagellum. The bacterial flagellum is what propels E. coli bacteria through its microscopic world. It consists of about 40 individual protein parts including a stator, rotor, drive-shaft, U-joint, and propeller. It's a microscopic outboard motor! The individual parts come into focus when magnified 50,000 times (using electron micrographs). And even though these microscopic outboard motors run at an incredible 100,000 rpm, they can stop on a microscopic dime. It takes only a quarter turn for them to stop, shift directions and start spinning 100,000 rpm in the opposite direction! The flagellar motor has two gears (forward and reverse), is water-cooled, and is hardwired into a signal transduction (sensory mechanism) so that it receives feedback from its environment. ("Unlocking the Mystery of Life," video documentary by Illustra Media, 2002.)
When we apply the general principles of detecting specified complexity to biologic systems (living creatures), we find it reasonable to infer the presence intelligent design. Take, for example, the bacterial flagellum's stator, rotor, drive-shaft, U-joint, and propeller. It is not convenient that we've given these parts these names - that's truly their function. If you were to find a stator, rotor, drive-shaft, U-joint, or propeller in any vehicle, machine, toy or model, you would recognize them as the product of an intelligent source. No one would expect an outboard motor -- much less one as incredible as the flagellar motor -- to be the product of a chance assemblage of parts. Motors are the product of intelligent design.

Furthermore, the E. coli bacterial flagellum simply could not have evolved gradually over time. The bacterial flagellum is an "irreducibly complex" system. An irreducibly complex system is one composed of multiple parts, all of which are necessary for the system to function. If you remove any one part, the entire system will fail to function. Every individual part is integral. There is absolutely no naturalistic, gradual, evolutionary explanation for the bacterial flagellum. (Michael Behe, Darwin's Black Box, 1996.)
So if you are interested in this kind of issues, this is one piece of the puzzle, there is more on this website, http://www.allaboutcreation.org/
May the Lord bless you in abundance. In Jesus-Christ.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned...

2 Timothy 3:10-17
First, I have a question for you! Apart from Scriptures, what do we know about God? O.k. by the window, it's a beautiful day, we can see  beauty, design and order, coming from a loving creator, God. How do we know that he loves us? We need a revelation, i.e. lift the curtain. God has chosen to lift the curtain. Do we need to guess about God? God has spoken to lots of generations and inspire them to write that down for our benefit.
Unlike Paul whom I suppose was a formidable character, Timothy, Paul's adopted son, was a young man rather timid. In his letters, Paul encourages Timothy.
Today, my headings are P for purpose, U for usefulness and N for nature.

1) Purpose.
The purpose of the Bible is to equip the man of God for 'every good work'.The Bible brings you salvation through faith in Jesus-Christ (2 Timothy 3:15) Thus as early as in Genesis 3:15, some see a prophecy of Jesus' crucifixion,' he will crush your head' is alluding that Jesus'sacrifice has got rid of Satan, also, Noah's event shows us God dealing differently with the human race, then the call of Abram..eventually Christ comes and fullfills all these prophecies.
In the last book of the bible, in Revelation, we have the picture of a new Heaven and a new Earth.

2) Usefulness
v16 The bible is useful to keep us on the right path (psalm 191). As somebody once said, to prevent truth decay. In v 13 Paul mentions 'evil men and impostors'. Lots of people twist the Gospel, the latest being the Da Vinci code that picked up on late legends or Erich Von Daniken who is laughing all the way to the bank with  his book, "Chariots of the Gods"  . he Reformation led by Luther happened because people wandered away from the truth of the Gospel. Luther knew that they had to go back to what God had said.

3) Nature
The bible is 'God-breathed', says Paul, this is such an important piece of information. The bible is good, whole and accurate. Those scribes copied the manuscript year after year with great care and therefore, God's word has been preserved by the Holy Spirit.  If you want to know someone, it is not good to guess, you must not pidgeon hole people, it is the same with the Lord, He is revealing himself in the bible so we have to open the book, we have got to explore it!
In the Old testament, there are lots of examples where we see God going after his people. Then Jesus says I'm here now, come to me. He wants us to know him. Amen
Rev. S. A

News about the fundraising event!

So far so good, signatures are piling up. There is no date at the moment so watch this space!

I have posted photos of our half-term hols in the family/parish blog. Here are the 'important' ones, they summarise the hols, bbq galore and bird watching, very relaxing hols. Praise the Lord!

Imogen may not seem very excited about visiting the birds reserve...however, the bribe is in the 'excellent mocha' she was allowed to have there. (at a reasonable price, of course!)

I must stop rambling and dash to our PCC meeting. Have a blessed evening!

Higher and higher

That's it, he has made his mind up! I'll explain, my husband, the Rev. Steven A will go up the spire of Hixon church. I did try to make him change his mind. Questions such as: 'Are you sure it's safe? and 'Think about doing something else!' but to no avail. As we are off to beautiful Oxfordshire next week, the 'exploit' will not take place until after the 6th of November, depending on the weather, of course.
Did I forget to mention anything? Oh yes, Steven hates ladders! There must be a pedantic term to describe this condition..

Monday..off...light stuff!

Yes, monday and thursday are my days off school and I love it! Don't get me wrong, I love going to school and teach but at the moment, the thought of being free to do what I want is fab..

Well, sometimes things don't go quite the way they should.

For instance, Imogen somehow didn't hear her alarm so I hear this tiny voice, mum, I'm running late..Emerging slowly,..me : what time is it? ..8..oh and could you iron my black top?

Oups, this is when duty calls, so I get up and go straight away in the kitchen to iron that thing..of course, i should have done it last night..but it was getting late...In the end, she was right, i took her to school and came back straigth away..and a warm and cosy smell of coffee was waiting for me,

courtesy of Steven..

Later on, I got a text from Imogen, mum, I forgot my notes for college, could you bring them please..

So, at lunch time, I did and this time headed to Liddle for a bit of shopping. I was supposed to buy their delicious 100% arabica coffee but of course, I came back with more stuff, namely, chunky kitkat..and hot cross buns..these are healthier than croissants, of course they do not taste the same...

A cycle in discipleship.

Being Christ's disciples can be tough. If you want other people to know about Christ, there will be problems, attacks, crisis, worries of all sorts along the way. Matthew 11:28-30.
1 Invitation for refreshment. Jesus invites us for refreshment and reloading. He knows about the pressures of life. We can get weary. He is inviting us to be renewed. He does not want us to be broken down. He wants us to be refreshed : the living water, (John 4:10) the true vine (John 15:1). Note that the word for gentle in Greek is 'tamed', a friend but watch out, Jesus is not a push over, he is quite firm when he has to be, when he dealing with the Pharisees for instance. Also note the importance of reading the Scriptures, Jesus invites us to get some nourishment, to feed on the Word. Let's dwell on the word 'yoke', here we understand 'well-fitting' so the yoke will not hurt the animals. Think about custom-made shoes! Jesus doesn't say that everything will be easy. He invites us to be worried about the priorities of the Kingdom, the right concerns.
2 Invitation into a work-out : ask, seek, knock: Matthew 7:1
Jesus invites us into a journey, into a relationship. Working with God, with our brothers and sisters. Come and explore. That journey can be tough as we mentioned it before.
3 Reminder that our God is a loving God. You, as parents give good things to your children so will our Father in heaven. Matthew 7:9-12
4 Reminder about the journey. We can choose between two paths, the broad easy one leading us away from our Father or the narrow one. Imagine a mountain path, not easy. If we do what Jesus says, if we trust him and obey him, (Hebrews 12: 1-3) we will be more efficient during our journey.Still in our moments of despair let us think of what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, God won't test you beyond your forces.
Rev. Steven Abram
I hope you enjoyed reading those personal notes I jotted down at Milwich tonight.

How to pray

Last saturday, we spent a day in Doxey church listening to Mother Winsome. The theme for the day was Transformation in Christ: coming close to God on the path of holiness. Here are some personal comments.


During the first session entitled Personal Holiness, Sister Winsome engaged us to speak about prayers. She asked us some challenging questions, first, did we pray at all ? or was is 'arrow prayers' ? How did we pray? Was it in a quiet place? without interruption? Sister Winsome told us she had to get up at 5 a. m. to spend this special time praying otherwise she would be distracted by all sorts during the day..


Soon, questions were fusing..Was bible reading same as praying? No, as this was not the same, not establishing this special conversation between us and the Lord. However, you could meditate on a verse or two then pray. Also listening to Christian music was a good introduction. Praying is this special time with your Father, when you speak to him and he listens to you and speak back to you. One cannot exagerate the importance of silence and concentration. So much so that she gave us some tips, if anything distracts you, write it down and keep on concentrating..


You may know it already, it's a sort of discipline. It does not come naturally, we need to persevere!

Blessed be your name!

New job

I have started teaching in a new school. It's great and it keeps me busy! However, my routine is about to change. Whereas I used to go to bed between 23 and midnight, I seriously need to think about going earlier, say 10 o'clock! Unfortunately my body does not like changes and to catch up loss sleep I ended up falling asleep on thursday morning after sending Imo to school, until 11! Oops, lazy me! Oh i forgot to mention that to get to school for 8, I need to get up between 6 and 6:30..Ok I realise I have had cushy until now. Plenty of workers get up even earlier. I've managed to get away. The best exemple was when i was teaching at the Isle of Man and living in the boarding school, i could get up at 7:30 if need be (late nights again marking obviously!!) and be fresh and ready at my desk at 8! This was the exception. I remember the days when I was hired as a cleaner in Slough college, I had to be there for 6! and to this day I cannot remember how I managed that job and then be at Dorothy Perking for 9..Money was scarce and I desperately wanted to go back to the Auvergne and see my mum...
Going back to the present! I am enjoying very much this new position and everything about it, so praise the Lord! He has rescued me once again and I am so grateful!
Tonight is Imo's birthdy party.!

Having a great time in Camargue!

After a week at my cousin's Catherine who lives in a scenic village north of Antibes, we moved to la Camargue for nearly two weeks. Today is Imogen's birthday, 14! so we have the 'mission' to find a restaurant in the little town of Saintes Maries sur la Mer. We are blessed with a hot weather and today a lovely breeze makes it bearable! I will post photos and details on the family/parish blog.

Explore this website : rejesus.co.uk

It is well worth it. On their home page, this is their introduction:

Two thousand years after he walked the earth, Jesus of Nazareth remains one of those most talked-about and influential people who has ever lived. In the pages that follow, we explore his life, character, teachings and followers.
We look at how he has been quoted, misquoted, filmed, reported on, worshipped and argued over. Please feel welcome to click, explore and post your questions, thoughts and prayers.

Content on rejesus is arranged in four main areas:
Story contains modules about Jesus’ life, downloads and a pub quiz to test your knowledge.
Lives looks at Jesus’ famous followers from ancient saints to modern day heroes.
Spirituality has modules that aim to help you discover more about prayer and the inner life.
Creativity contains modules that show how Jesus has been interpreted and explored.

In the Lives section, I found out who was Jackie Pullinger. At 22, Jackie Pullinger wanted to become a missionary, but no society would take her on. So she went on her own to Hong Kong and began a pioneering work among drug addicts and Triad gang members that continues today. As a young girl at Sunday School she decided she wanted to be a missionary - and that was before she really knew what a missionary was. But as she grew up, she forgot about her childhood ambition for a while and became a student at the Royal College of Music.
It was only when she started meeting regularly with other Christians in a friend’s home that she thought about being a missionary again. Then one night, she had a dream.
“I saw a vision of a woman holding her arms out beseechingly as on a refugee poster. I wondered what she wanted - she looked desperate for something… Then words moved past like a television credit: WHAT CAN YOU GIVE US?”
After a series of dreams and vivid experiences, Jackie decided she would go to Hong Kong. The trouble was, no one else agreed with her.
She applied to every missionary group she could think of, and also to church organisations and the Hong Kong government - but all the doors closed in her face. You’re too young, you’re too inexperienced, you have the wrong qualifications, she was told.
She was about to give up, when the vicar of a church she helped in told her, against the received wisdom of everything else she had heard, to go to Hong Kong anyway. Want to read more, click on the link http://www.rejesus.co.uk/site/module/jackie_pullinger/P2/

or go on Jackie Pullinger's website, http://www.ststephenssociety.com/ at the moment you will have to click on Enter Flash version as the html is under construction..

In the Creativity section, I chose to go on 'Jesus and hope', an interactive exploration. I quote the explanation given by their maker:

This ideosyncratic exploration is full of deeper meaning and reflections on what the Bible has to say about Jesus and hope – it’s best approached slowly with an open mind. Produced by Bruce Stanley.

I thought that it was brilliant, deep and fun at the same time.

In the Spirituality section, I found a Happiness e-course. Wow!
This course takes the wisdom and simplicity of Jesus and combines it with the latest interventions from the world of positive psychology to help you find happiness and meaning in your life. Follow this free 8 week happiness course, complete the exercises and see what occurs for you.

Lord, thank you for our brothers and sisters who decide to leave everything they have to bring the Good News of your Salvation in dangerous zones, they have no fear because they believe in You, they persevere even when everybody says no go, they listen to you Jesus, instead of choosing an easy way out. May you pour out abundant blessings on them, their family and team and give us the same boldness of mind, us who live in a comfi setting in the West. Amen.

Gospel for Asia

Have you heard of this organisation Gospel for Asia. Tonight, I thought i'd share an article of their newsletter and the following video shows one of their missionaries in action in a slum there. Please click on the arrow to start the film!



Here is the article:

A personal message from Gospel for Asia President K.P. Yohannan

The photo was shocking. There, on the front page of the Indian Express, my eyes were drawn to a picture of a small boy—he couldn’t have been more than five years old—lying on a sidewalk next to the busiest street in Mumbai (Bombay), India.

This nearly-naked boy was lying next to a dog—a female dog. And as I looked closer I could see that this little skinny, ragged child was drinking the dog’s milk!
My eyes moved from the photo to the caption below it, which read, "This dog is his mother."
Horrified, I began to read the article that accompanied the photo, and it laid out the grim reality that was so vividly portrayed in that picture. It talked about the 100,000 kids walking the streets of Mumbai—a city of nearly 15 million people. These kids will never know their parents. The article also talked about the government trucks that come around in the early dawn hours to haul off the bodies of those people—mostly the children—who died during the night.
As I read this article, my heart was breaking, because I knew that these homeless children were but a fraction of those who make up the horrifying human equation in India. Mumbai also has the unfortunate distinction of having one of the world’s largest slums. With five million residents, there are as many people living in makeshift shacks in the Mumbai slum as there are living in Chicago and Houston combined!
And I know that this overwhelming problem isn’t exclusive to Mumbai. In South Asia alone, more than 90 million children go to bed hungry every single day; another 134 million children between the ages of seven and 18 have never been to school. India alone has as many as 150 million child laborers, the largest number of any country in the world! That amounts to one in seven children over the age of five forced into child labor in India. Just think about these children working 12 to 18 hours a day for only a few pennies. No wonder this little boy I saw in that newspaper picture was taking comfort in a mama dog. It may have been the only time he felt that someone truly cared for him. Find out what you can do to help a child in South Asia
Here is their link :
http://www.gfa.org/slum-dog-boy

Humour

We have always had a way with words!

....says the Vicar! Enjoy!

The Father's letter

Jews do come to faith in Jesus...

I would like to quote an article that I have read in this amazing website, jews for jesus. I hope that it will enlighten any Jewish readers who are still wondering if Jesus is the Messiah. Follow the link:

http://jewsforjesus.org/publications/newsletter/1986_01/07Glad

QUESTION: Would it be possible sometime to explain in the Newsletter how Isaiah 53 is interpreted by Jews who are nonbelievers in Jesus? Is that chapter included in the Hebrew Scriptures? Is it read in the synagogue? Is it discussed in Hebrew school?

ANSWER: Isaiah 53 is definitely included in the Hebrew Scriptures. Jewish religious leaders down through the ages have had too much respect for the Scriptures to tamper with them. They would not delete a controversial passage. On the other hand, they will use a variant translation wherever possible in order to play down or entirely avoid the obviously Christological portent of some Old Testament passages.
With Isaiah 53, however, no matter how freely one interprets the language, the passage very obviously describes one who was allowed by God to suffer and die for the sins of others. It so closely parallels the life, ministry and death of Jesus of Nazareth that nonbelieving Jewish scholars have been hard pressed to find other logical interpretations.
There are two most widely used Jewish explanations concerning the identity of the Suffering Servant described in Isaiah 52:13-53:12. One theory holds that the passage refers to the entire nation of Israel; the other theory holds to the thought that the passage refers to Isaiah himself. The obvious answer to both of these explanations is that the pronouns used there do not lend themselves well to either theory.
A minority of Jewish people do hold to another thought, which is that the passage does refer to a suffering messiah, but not to Jesus. Proponents of this idea say that there will be two messiahs—one the Messiah ben Joseph, who will come to suffer, and the other Messiah ben David, who will come to conquer and reign.
Although Isaiah 53 is definitely contained in the Hebrew Scriptures, it is omitted from the liturgical synagogue readings during that portion of the calendar year when the Prophet Isaiah is normally read.
As for this "problem passage" being discussed in Hebrew school, it would be highly unlikely below seminary level. Generally the prophetic writings are not studied at the lower levels of religious training that comprise the experience of the average Jewish person. For this reason, most Jewish people are unaware that the Isaiah 53 passage even exists. A very common response from a Jewish person who is shown that text for the first time is, "That's not from our Jewish Bible. That sounds like the New Testament."

Showing a Jewish person Isaiah 53 does not automatically guarantee that he or she will believe in Jesus. Isaiah himself wrote that as a nation, Israel would hear and not understand, and they would see and not perceive (Isaiah 6:9, 10).

Nevertheless, individual Jews do come to faith in Jesus as the Messiah, often without ever having seen Isaiah 53. When such people see the passage for the first time, they are usually quite startled to discover that it was there all along.

Isaiah 53

1Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way;and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
8By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who consideredthat he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?9And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death,although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makesan offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Day away!

Some time ago, we went to Barlaston Church, a beautiful modern church south of Stoke on Trent to spend a day of reflection on the team's strengths and weaknesses. There was one or more representatives of each church. We thoroughly enjoyed this time spent together praying and getting our brains tickled. The theme was to define our involvment at key strategic levels in our community.

Our speaker, George Fisher, reminded us that we are not living any longer in a country where Christianism is the norm but in a country where secularism and humanism have taken over. In fact some see Christians as the 'enemy'. It reminds me of Psalm 37:19-21 (NIV) 20 But the wicked will perish: The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish—vanish like smoke. So most people think they can get on with their life without the church, without the Lord! Consumerism has taken over people's mind. They have the idea that whatever they want, they should get! If they disagree with the style of praying/preaching in a church, they may decide to go somewhere else instead of working things out! The sad thing is that now many people do not have a clue what Christianity is about! They may not even know the Lord's prayer.

So how do we reconnect with the community ?

We may want to read again 2 Corinthians 6

3We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed;

We should not be afraid of letting people know that we are Christians. 

Let your colleagues, your friends, your boss/es, notice the fruit of the Spirit in you. For example, they would realise that unlike them, you, as a Christian seems to be immune to the arrogance or nastiness of 'the boss' or the 'floor manager'....They will notice your 'virtues'.

Part of George's job is to visit churches anonymously to see what kind of welcome he gets! At lunch, he was telling us that in one church, nobody spoke to him at all. Gloups!

Also your church sign is capital! How to get your church noticed! Here are a few comments!

Autumn leaves, God doesn't.

If you are looking for a sign to come back to God, this is it!

Where will you be sitting in eternity,

smoking or non-smoking ?

How to connect again ? A few ideas...

Have a sign in your church saying : Non-members welcome ...

Psalm reading sessions!

Get some non-believer friends to be part of a 'sceptic anonymous group' to whom you will tell the Good News.

What do you do to line up with the Lord's mission and not block the way!
Let's pray for a renewal of our Christian faith in Great Britain! In Christ.

Touching Godliness through submission

by K.P. Yohannan

The truth is that when I ordered that book I had no idea what it was about. In this book, K.P.Yohannan explores how we are to submit to God in all aspects of our life. I also liked the prayer at the end of each chapter. This book is riveting, well written, deep and thorough, full of pertinent exemples, Bible quotations and humour too.

The introduction is straigth to the point, very powerful. ...These followers of the Lamb have a distinct mark about them: Submission.

In chapter 1, KPY explains that the Lord has 'established order and peace for mankind through authority and submission to authority. Adam disobeyed the Lord's first command and we have the desire to resist authority. Of course if you are a parent or work in education you already know that children say 'no' quicker than 'yes'.

He quotes Romans 13:2 Consequently he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Now I can think of many occurences in my life when I rebelled instead of surrendering.

'During his whole life...Jesus lived in submission to those who had authority over Him' p 27

I must resist telling you more about it.

This book has been a real blessing as it has stopped me from 'rebelling' instinctively. Where at work, I would at times express concern about decisions made by the bosses, I don't any longer. It has stopped me from feeling downhearted and upset as I know that the Lord is totally in control.

Finally, you can order it direct from Gospel for Asia website, http://www.gfa.org/

Enjoy!

A Christian site you want to talk about with your friends!

I have discovered a really good site. Whether you are a Christian or not, you will enjoy exploring this site.

http://discover.godrev.com/

I liked The Father's Love Letter above all.

Easter Holiday

This Easter holiday, we stayed in a CL campsite at Kidlington, north of Oxford. It was such a lovely site by a small river. We went to Oxford to do a bit of sightseeing and I remembered my way round the town. Parking is so costly though. We managed to park in Kimble street, near the Pitt River museum.

I managed to do quite a bit of reading. I took that book:

Power Evangelism, signs and wonders today by John Wimber with Kevin Springer.

I found that book so rich and compelling! In the first chapter, John reminds us that we are at war, and that Jesus is about his Father's business, which is releasing those held captive by Satan. He then gives us his personal view on how to enter the warfare : we need to listen to God's voice' He explains what Power Evangelism is about, giving us his personal experiences on using the gifts of the Spirit. Though the book was written in 1985, its tenets are very modern. In face his comment on the Western society thinking that supernatural is fantasy and only the material is real is still so true!

If you have read that book, do drop me a line!

The Long Silence

Have you heard this story before ?
At the end of time, billions of people were scattered on a great plain before God's throne. Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them. But some groups near the front talked heatedly - not with cringing shame, but with belligerence.
"Can God judge us? How can he know about suffering?" snapped a pert young brunette. She ripped open a sleeve to reveal a tattooed number from a Nazi concentration camp. "We endured terror ... beatings ... torture ... death!"
In another group a Negro boy lowered his collar. "What about this?" he demanded, showing an ugly rope burn. "Lynched for no crime but being black!"
In another group, a pregnant school girl with sullen eyes. "Why should I suffer?" she murmured. "It wasn't my fault."
Far out across the plain there were hundreds of such groups. Each had a complaint against God for the evil and suffering he permitted in his world.
How lucky God was to live in heaven where all was sweetness and light, where there was no weeping or fear, no hunger or hatred. What did God know of all that man had been forced to endure in this world. For God leads a pretty sheltered life they said.
So each of these groups sent forth their leaders, chosen because they had suffered most. A Jew, a Negro, a person from Hiroshima, a horribly deformed arthritic, a thalidomide child. In the centre of the plain they consulted with each other. At last they were ready to present their case. It was rather clever.
Before God could be qualified to be their judge, he must endure what they had endured. Their decision was that God should live on earth - as a man!
Let him be born a Jew. Let the legitimacy of his birth be doubted. Give him a work so difficult that even his family will think him out of his mind when he tries to do it. Let him be betrayed by his closest friends. Let him face false charges, be tried by a prejudiced jury and convicted by a cowardly judge. Let him be tortured.
At the last, let him see what it means to be terribly alone. Then let him die. Let him die so that there can be no doubt that he died. Let there be a great host of witnesses to verify it.
As each leader pronounced his portion of the sentence, loud murmurs of approval went up from the throng of people assembled.
When the last had finished pronouncing sentence there was a long silence.
No one uttered another word. No one moved.
For suddenly all knew that - God had already served his sentence.

Taken from "Voice " magazine. Autumn 1970

'It is accomplished'

<sup>Jesus said: It is finished. John 19:30 Let's rejoice and celebrate Jesus-Christ's victory over death.
Two years ago, when I was still living in Manchester, I was telling one of my friends how I found it amazing that all the prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled in Jesus' death and resurrection. Unfortunately she rejected the few I mentioned one by one in a very curt way and I was sad that these evidence did not convince her at all! I still pray for her and invite you to pray for her too.
Yesterday, I just happened to read such an interesting article by D. James Kennedy entitled Christ: the Fulfilment of Prophecy. According to D. J. Kennedy, 'well over two thousand prophecies are to be found in the Scriptures, most of which have already been fulfilled. Now this is awesome. Praise the Lord! Here is the website: http://www.coralridge.org
I'd like to mention a few prophecies found in the Old Testament that I find extremely poignant.
In Psalm 22, David's personal lament expresses his distress although he is righteous. It echoes Jesus' same cry when he is agonising on the cross: My God, my God why have you forsaken me ?' Ps 22:1

David takes us straight to Jesus' torture in the hands of the Roman soldiers ..they have pierced my hands and my feet. Ps 22: 16

Further on, David complains that 'they (people) divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing .Ps 22:18 This is exactly what the Roman soldiers did with Jesus' garments when he was already dead. This action couldn't have possibly engineered by Jesus himself.

Jesus, our King, died on the cross to redeem us of our sins. This is explained by Isaiah
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed. Isa 53:5
Our salvation is already foretold by Isaiah.

Though Jesus was completely innocent, he was arrested and sentence to be crucified as if he was a criminal!
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth. Isa 53:9
Salvation is mentioned again in Psalm 68
Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.
As the evening draws on, I would like to conclude with this powerful prayer
..but you Lord,
-misunderstood by your closest friends
-betrayed by one you had a right to trust
-seized and manacled and hustled
-spat on and struck and flogged
-strung up tight on an agonising cross
-dying of thirst, heat, suffocation, shock, exhaustion.. Help me, Lord, always to prefer your way to your enemies'way, your cross to their triumph. And challenge me, sharply, to trust God, as you did.. In Jesus-Christ, Amen.
from Just as I am by Ruth Etchells</sup>

Family service for Mother's day!

Instead of a traditional sermon, we had a conversation between Moses' mother and Jesus' mother, Mary. Both talking about their children! Do read on and let me know if you enjoy it as much as we did.
Moses' mother
Hi, I was born over 3500 years ago in Egypt. I am sorry, I can't tell you my name as it isn't mentioned in the bible. I am not an Egyptian but a Hebrew. Our people were slaves in Egypt and times were becoming increasingly difficult for us. There were more and more of us and the Egyptians started to see us as a threat. Their answer was to give an order that all baby boys should be killed.
Mary
Hi, I wasn't born as long ago as this lady, but it was just over 2000 years ago. My name is Mary. I'm one of her ancestors and lived at a time when our country had a king but we were really
ruled by the Romans. Our king, who was not very good, had to do as the Romans said.
Moses' mother
I had a son and he should have died but I decided to give him a chance of surviving
so I hid him in a basket in the reeds at the edge of the river Nile.
Mary
I had a son and some special visitors who came to see him visited our king looking for him. King Herod was jealous and tried to kill him but we were warned of this by an angel and fled into
exile in Egypt until the king was dead.
Moses'mother
My son was rescued by one of the royal princesses and brought up in the royal household. I was even employed as his nurse to look after him. Wonderful, I got paid for bringing up my own son!
The princess called him 'Moses' - I think you might have heard about him.
Mary
After Egypt we came back and settled in Nazareth. Joseph, my husband, was a carpenter and my son helped him in the family business. Times were tough for us but good. Before my baby was born, God told Joseph that my son was to be called 'Jesus' - I am sure you will
have heard of him.
Moses'mother
I believed my son was born and lived for a special purpose and that was to help his own people.
Mary
We were told my son was born for a special purpose and that he would save his people.
Moses'mother
Moses took this on board but I think things went wrong because in trying to defend one of our people he was misunderstood and threatened. He got scared by this and fled into the desert.
He was there for forty years looking after sheep.
Mary
Jesus spent time in the desert too, forty days, he went without food and water and was seriously tested by the devil who wanted him to do things his way and not God's.
Moses' mother
The Lord came and spoke to my son from a burning bush and told him to go to the king and ask him to let our people go free. That went down badly but the Lord showed who was boss by
sending lots of plagues on the Egyptians and finally the king said 'go' and they went. Their escape route was though the Red Sea - God divided the waters so they could cross. They ended up in the desert for another forty years.
Mary
My son gathered a group of 12 followers known as disciples. He taught people about the Lord and healed people. Lots of people listened to him and he gave special teaching to the 12. He
also had a thing about water - he didn't divide it but he walked on it! Oh, and once he turned gallons of it into wine!
Moses' mother
Moses taught the people about the Lord too. The Lord appeared before him at Mount Sinai and gave him lots of teaching and instructions for the people. Amongst them were the 10 commandments. Sadly, the people didn't always take what the Lord was saying
to them very seriously.
Mary
Jesus had people who thought they had the laws given to your son all sorted out so they could keep them. Jesus said they were messing with it for their own interests and stopping
ordinary people getting close to God. They thought he broke these laws and they didn't like this or the way he suggested God was his Father. I knew he was right because of how his birth
came about.
Moses' mother
On Mount Sinai the Lord God appeared and he allowed Moses to see him as he
had gone by.
Mary
One day my son went up a mountain and the prophet Elijah appeared with him, and guess who else was there - your son Moses! In the presence of Moses and Elijah and three of Jesus closest
followers, God spoke and said Jesus was his son and that he was well pleased with him and that people should listen to him.
Moses' mother
God had promised that he would give our people their own land and Moses
took them right to the edge of it but it was Joshua who led them into it. Moses
did do as God had called him to and led the people out of slavery in Egypt and got them to the promised land. In that way God saved them.
Mary
Jesus was sent by his Father to save people from sin and death. In doing this it became possible for them to be part of God's family and go to another promised land - heaven. For that to
happen Jesus passed through death on a cross. I was there and saw it. It was horrible. But, he did pass through death and I saw him after his resurrection and stayed with his disciples after
he went back to heaven.
Moses' mother
I think my son Moses kind of prepared some stuff for your son even though it
was so long before.
Mary
I agree and I think that is because God is working with an end in mind all the time.
Moses' mother
What a worry and responsibility it is being a mother!
Mary
It's worth it though, especially when God has his hand on it all!