Monday Spot (20 July 2009)
Our weekend began with the KAOS outing to Joss Bay on Saturday.
Joss Bay, near Broadstairs
Nearly 60 people enjoyed the day on the beach and the weather was beautiful, a great relief after two years of cancellation. Some even managed to brave the sea!
Our meetings on Sunday were led by Majors Drew and Beverley McCombe and the morning meeting was held in our Church Street Hall as usual. However, in the evening we joined with our friends at the Emmaus Church in Clover Street. This was intended to be the first of a series of evening meetings continuing until the work of alterations to our own building is complete in November. However, we now know that the work will not start on site until 24 August so this arrangement will be delayed until 6 September.
Majors Drew and Beverley McCombe
Following the theme of ‘There is Enough’ Major Beverley led the morning meeting and chose song 157 from the Salvation Army Song Book together with 707, 496, 478 and 480 from Songs of Fellowship. Scripture chosen was Psalm 136: 1-9 and 23-26, used a a responsive reading, and Matthew 6:19-21 and 25-35. The Singing Company brought ‘God is my Refuge’ and the Songsters ‘You are loved’ as the musical ministry.
Major Drew delivered the message and asked if we felt the current global financial crisis was part of the mission of God. A video made by All Souls, Langham Place, asked this question of people out and about in Central London and the answers received were interesting. Drew asked can God only work in spiritual ways? He has often chosen to work out His purpose in the most unlikely fashion and he cannot be boxed in or confined. I do not believe that God instigated the current crisis but that He is pursuing His mission through it. I believe God is trying to change our minds about how we live so that we live by Kingdom values and principles. We must understand that God has provided enough and that our greed is not acceptable. So how do we live like that? Start focusing on what could be. Speak up for those who do not have. Be church exactly where we live so that we can become a community hub. Share what we have. The possibilities are transformational when we carry out personal acts of love. Jesus came to build a radical new community in which people are encouraged to contribute of themselves to our society. The opportunities are endless because God has provided enough.
The evening meeting at Emmaus was led by Major Drew and followed the theme ‘Don’t give up’. Songs chosen were 22, 710, 764 and 734 from the Salvation Army Song Book and 1404 and 1607 from Songs of Fellowship. Music played by the Band was ‘Dance like David’ and the Songsters sang ‘That’s what we came here for’. Testimonies were given with the theme of God’s protection as the suggested topic and the scripture used was Matthew 11:28-30.
In her message, based on Revelation 3:7-13, Major Beverley said that the letter to the church in Philadelphia reminded the people that God had set before them an open door. He holds the key and controls who can come and go into the New Jerusalem. Nobody has authority to shut the door. Beverley said that we need to be sure that we know that Jesus is God, the true Messiah, that He is the one we trust and we can believe the words He says to us. Jesus always emphasises our weakness but His strength. God looks at us through Christ – we are safe in Him. He opens the way into the presence of God. When this weak church comes into the New Jerusalem, as Jesus promises, they will be in God’s presence. They will become strong pillars, bearing God’s name, never to be destroyed. How can they do this? By holding on. In Jesus, we have everything we need. Trust in what Jesus has done and not what we feel like. Often we look at our own weaknesses instead of looking to Jesus who has done it all! So we need to trust, and hold on.
Rev Brian Adams with Majors Beverley and Drew McCombe
The next few weeks will see many of our congregation taking summer holidays and we wish all of them a very happy and enjoyable time. Majors Drew and Beverley are themselves away for the next three weeks and are looking forward to a good break. Schools are now either finished or about to finish and everything will be winding down for the summer. But experience tells us that this time can still be very rewarding as far as our worship is concerned and we look forward to those who will be leading us over the next few weeks. Next Sunday (26 July) Nigel Day, together with Matt and Sarah Butler will be our leaders so come and enjoy the day with us. (Sorry about the pun). Join us if you can?
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