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January 2012
For centuries Christians have kept New Year’s
Day for asking God’s blessing on the coming year. John Wesley
compiled an annual Covenant Service, for use at this time in the
Methodist Church. Many denominations have incorporated this in
their service books. For us on New Year’s Day we will follow
this Covenant Service as we look towards the New Year and its
opportunities and challenges. We will pray that we will know the
reality of God’s Spirit with us, equipping us for the road
ahead.
As you are aware, the Elders have completed
our Church Life Review Report and copies have been sent
to our two CLR visitors, the Rev Dr Sarah Hall,
Minister of St. Andrew’s URC Sheffield, and Mrs Carol Parfitt
from St Andrew’s URC Roundhay. Our two visitors will join
us for worship on Sunday, 8th January and then attend our Church
Meeting following morning worship. They will also attend the Elders’
Meeting on Wednesday 15th February at 7.30pm having met with myself
firstly in the afternoon.
I do hope you will make it your priority to
attend both worship and Church Meeting on 8th January.
It’s a common experience to see a child
you’ve not seen for a few months, and to say, “My,
how you’ve grown!” Jane Anne and I find ourselves
saying those words to Caitlin and Aimee. — Will anybody
be able to say of us one year from now, “My, how you’ve
grown”? What a difference a year makes!
A New Year lies before us and the message on
our notice board outside the church has these words: The
Past? Leave it with
God. The Present?
Live it for God. The
Future? Entrust it
to God. That seems to me to be an excellent New Year’s
Resolution. If we entrust everything to God, we will receive spiritual
strength from him because of God’s gracious love. We can’t
shine on our own this year, we need God’s power and he’ll
gladly give us the strength of will and spiritual determination
to do good deeds for his sake if we ask him.
What can I give him, poor as 1 am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb:
If I were a wise man I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him, give my heart.
A Happy New Year to you and yours —
Bill
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