Skip to main content

October message from the ministry team

Image
By
Dear Friends,



Autumn is the time of mists and mellow fruitfulness. It is a time of harvest and cropping. It is also the precursor to preparing for winter. After the harvest, comes the shedding of leaves and plants returning to their basic condition.

This made me think about our lives in Jesus Christ. Have we had a harvest in our lives? Has each of us shown the ripe fruits of Jesus Christ to everyone we meet? Have we been laden with the fruits of the Spirit, to attract people to Jesus, as creatures are drawn to the fruit trees and plants? This is a wonderful time of year to share Jesus with people. (As well as the rest of the year.)

Also, at this time of year, nature is preparing for the onset of winter, and plants and trees are shedding leaves and retreating back into bulbs, so they can survive the winter. Are we as Christians doing the same? Have we parts of our personal lives and church lives cluttered up, so that we need to get rid of things? Do we allow Jesus, the gardener, to prune our lives?

In our garden, we have a clematis climber that would not flower. It was 9 feet tall. A gardener asked if we ever pruned it. I said “No.” and he said: “Take it back to 10 inches tall”. Well, very scared, I did as he told me. The next year we had an abundance of flowers.


I know that, within my own life, there are areas that I have to look at and see if I really need that. Perhaps I have got into a rut of routine and not realized it. Maybe there are things that I do or see as important, but now I know that I have to let it go. Is Jesus asking me to look at fresh areas of development and ministry, but I cannot do that, until I have shed this?

I think of the hermit crab who, every so often, has to get rid of its shell and find a different one, so it can grow. Do we need to do this?

As an individual, church and circuit, we can become overladen with familiarities, comfortableness, and security. We need to have a dropping off of our personal, church and circuit clutter and see where Jesus wants us to be.
Jesus stripped himself of everything to save us. By this, he allowed the faith of people and the Church to grow.

I realise that all this is scary, as it means we have to let go of areas in our lives or attitudes, but we need to do this to grow.

We also have, in our garden, a Comus (that’s posh) often known as a Dogwood. In summer, it is a green, leafy bush. In winter, it drops its leaves and the stalks become a vivid scarlet. What a transformation!

I pray that each of us in Bradford North will allow Jesus to transform us into something new and glorious for Him.

Bless you all

John W
Pastoral Co-ordinator
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Christmas Day Worship 2021

By
Today is the day - Christmas! The central candle is lit. The waiting is over. The child is born. As we celebrate the Feast and Holy-Day of Christmas, with the Psalmist (Ps. 98:4-6) we proclaim: Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn – shout for joy before the LORD, the King. Prayer Let us pray: Generous God, even as we praise you for the good news of today, and seek to shout for joy at the coming of the Christ-child, we acknowledge Mary’s mix of pain and joy, both today and in the days to come. As we do so, we face our own emotions on this difficult and delightful day, and ask your help to live it well. Amen. Carol You might like to sing, or reflect on the words of Geoffrey Ainger’s hymn at StF 193/H&P 95, Born in the night, Mary’s child, a long way from your home; coming in need, Mary’s child, born in a borro...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pastoral Letter - 9 December 2021

By
Dear friends We have been through a lot together over this last 18 months since the pandemic first started, as households, as communities and as the people of the church. At times we have struggled, but we have also recognised the support we can offer one another in times of adversity. When things have been far from normal, we have adapted in new ways to continue the life and mission of the church. In the face of great hurt and great need, we have found the value of faith and hope. Since the summer we have seen signs of hope in the re-opening of buildings and the re-starting of some of our church and community groups. However, recent news of a new variant of the virus has once again raised the level of concern. Clearly, the pandemic is not yet over. Consequently, as I am sure you are already aware, the government has decided that there is a need for greater restrictions to be in place once again - see detailed guidance  dated 8th December. In the light of this, the Methodist Church...
Post a Comment
Read more

Virtual worship - 19 December 2021

By
Advent 4: Thinking about BLESSING Service sheet (pdf) Hymn: STF 187 The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came Introduction Christmas is only days away now. How will you welcome Jesus into your home this year? After last year’s loss and longing, will the blessings of this year’s Christmas celebrations have any extra special meaning for you? Today’s worship is focussed on signs of greeting and blessing. Call to worship Come, greet one another in the name of the Lord. Come, bring all you have and be blessed. Come, and worship the God of the great and the lowly, and share your hopes and fears. Come, young and old – for God is calling you. Collect for today As we light this Advent candle, may its flame be for us a sign of blessing. As Mary and Elizabeth greeted each other, and Mary praised God for the blessings received, may we know God’s blessing in our lives and community, as we offer prayers and praises in Jesus’ name. Amen Hymn: STF166 Christmas Is Coming The Church Is Glad To Sing How do you ...
Post a Comment
Read more