Fortyfold Gratitude

A ‘big 0’ birthday demands a celebration, and on April 5^th at Baildon, we reached a 40^th anniversary. Since 1976 we’ve had a weekly prayer meeting, running continuously, and we want to thank and praise the Lord for keeping us going.

Initially, we met every eight days, to give everyone with other commitments a chance to come, but that didn’t suit the regulars, so we soon fixed on Mondays. A format developed: share concerns; look at a Bible text; and then free prayer. Meetings last just one hour, and we don’t stop early if a silence develops (silence can be full and deep). During this time, we have worked through the Bible, considering every mention of prayer we could find, including requests made to Jesus while on earth. We now have a little booklet listing all those Bible references.

Numbers started quite well but then dropped off, for many reasons, and eventually we got down to three. But we resolved to continue however few and persevered, even if only one of us was able to come! Recently, numbers have grown a bit and we may have as many as ten. And recently a Tuesday morning meeting was set up for those who don’t like evenings, and two young mums have also started to meet weekly, after they have dropped their children off at school. Occasionally there are Saturday morning meetings for the building plans: few have come, but they are held.

For those who have prayed at these meetings, blessings have flowed richly. We have felt assured that our prayers are always heard, and have seen them answered in many ways. And we ourselves have felt blessed beyond words by the Spirit’s continuing presence. We cannot urge you strongly enough, whoever you are, to meet with others to praise and pray, persistently and thankfully, as indeed is God’s will for us all. (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).

Roy LS, Baildon

Comments

Biblefresh Festival 11 June 2011 - bookings now open

Bradford North and South Circuits invite you to their city-wide Biblefresh Festival Saturday 11 June 2011 Full details and booking form

July message from Rev Phil

Dear Friends, The Methodist Church makes provision for its ministers to take a three-month sabbatical break from the routine of ministry every seven years – this year, in my case! By the time you read this letter, I will have already started my sabbatical and I will be absent from the circuit from mid-May to mid-August. This is not an extended holiday but an opening to do something different, as a way of being refreshed in ministry; an opportunity to ‘power down’ and to get away from a hectic, diary-driven ministry, in order to spend more focused time with God. It is a requirement and not an option for ministers to take their sabbatical break. There have been two main aspects to consider in planning the sabbatical. The first has been to decide how I should use the time. For your interest, I am pressing on with studies begun through Leeds University (which could lead to the award of a PhD), reflecting on my wor...

Godly Ways 8-10 March 2013

Godly Ways CODEC and the Dales Biblical Literacy Project present: A weekend of Worship – Teaching – Workshops. WHEN : March 8th to 10th 2013 (Starts Friday evening) WHERE : Elm Ridge Methodist Church and Bondgate Methodist Church, Darlington and Ingleton Methodist Church SPEAKERS: Revd. Professor David Wilkinson is a Methodist minister and Principal of St. John’s College, Durham. Well-known as a writer, speaker and broadcaster, David has wide-ranging interests, although he is especially concerned about science and religion. Revd. Dr. Peter Phillips is a Methodist minister and Director of Codec, a research centre housed at St. John’s College, Durham. For many years, Pete served on the staff of Cliff College. He has a great interest in the New Testament and in communicating the faith in a digital age. Revd. Ron Willoughby is an ordained minister with the Southern Baptist Convention in the United States, now living in this cou...

Bradford North Circuit

Search This Blog