From the Manse

In God we trust — we share His love

March 2010

A Call to Prayer

Included with this Newsletter is A Call to Prayer leaflet that I have prepared for the congregation. This has been produced in advance of our Stewardship Campaign later on this year.

As we start to plan and put in place a Long Term Planning Strategy it is essential that we focus on prayer. I, like you, know how easy it is for the spiritual dimension to be squeezed out of our lives by the pressures and demands on our time.

The Stewardship Campaign will be tailor-made to suit Headingley St Columba URC and not any other congregation. The Elders and I believe God is calling us to a major 'reality check', that will involve a serious re-think in the areas of teaching, practice, worship and engagement with the outside world.

That will take much discussion among us, but also much prayer, consistent prayer. God is able. The Bible repeats these words over and over:

  • Able to save three of his followers from a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:17)
  • Able to save Daniel from the lions' mouths (Daniel 6:20-22)
  • Able to give a child to 90 year old Sarah (Romans 4:18-21)
  • Able to give His followers all that they need (2 Corinthians 9:8)
  • Able to save completely those who come to God through Jesus (Hebrews7:25)
  • Able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20)
  • Able to give us, His followers today, all that we need.

Grace will be needed to underpin all of our activities should we wish them to be fruitful, and any practical measures must be dependent upon divine grace and in line with the will of God. I commend the prayer leaflet to you in love. I am convinced that at present this is so necessary. I am convinced that God will speak to us, as we search for a closer relationship with Him and that He will give us the guidance needed as we plan for the future, as we move from maintenance to mission.

I am convinced that when we gather together in prayer, and on those occasions when we pray alone, we will feel strengthened by the knowledge that we belong to the family of God, the Body of Christ at Headingley St Columba URC.

My prayers and love in Christ,

Bill