Welcome
We've resumed weekly morning worship in our building on Sundays at 10.30am.
You are most welcome to join us, but first, please read our guide on what to expect and watch this short reminder video .
Our detailed COVID-19 risk assessment has been reviewed before re-opening for worship.
You can access recent worship on our YouTube channel, and other forms of worship.
Our Minister’s Letter for May
As the days lengthen and the signs of spring remind us of the wonder of creation. But even though buds are opening and bulbs flowering, the frequent cold winds, frosty nights, hot sunny days and the lack of rain in April did little to lift the spirits of those depressed by the exceptionally changeable weather.
It has been more than a year since the coronavirus pandemic took a stranglehold on our nation and our lives. Right now, many in our world are hoping this Spring heralds the transformation of our world back to some kind of normality as the various vaccines are administered.
Whether we have spent much of the last year feeling isolated; even if we have faced terrible losses; no matter what chaos we have had to navigate – the Lord “who is the Spirit” has been with us through it all. He has never stopped His work of making us clearer image-bearers of Jesus Christ for the world to see. Whatever season we face, when we turn our faces to God, we find them all to be seasons of transformation as we live in His light and His love. From despair, fear and anxiety, God turns us into people of hope, joy and peace as we live in His presence.
We need to be intentional about pursuing the presence of God, especially in these challenging times. Over the past 13 months, too many people have been robbed of peace, joy, due to worry and stress brought about by this pandemic crisis.
Let us help them to make room for Jesus in their lives. In Luke 5, we learn that Jesus was teaching in a very crowded house when some men carrying a paralysed man on a mat arrived. When they couldn't find a way through the crowd, such was their determination to see their friend healed that they went onto the roof and lowered him, on his mat, through the tiles and down to Jesus.
‘When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven . . . I tell you, get up, take up your mat and go home.”’ (Luke 5: 17-26)
Welcoming Jesus into our lives offers us the opportunity to examine our priorities; we make time to do what is important to us. Whilst we are not told much about the owners of the house, we do know that they prioritised making room for Jesus and a miracle.
With light at the end of the tunnel of the pandemic crisis, now is the time to readjust our thinking and refocus. When we open our hearts and minds to God’s Word, truly amazing things happen! There are so many more people that need to make room for the manifested presence of Jesus in their lives, right now!
As we emerge from lockdown, I am very excited to tell you about one of our mission projects, the ‘Dale Street Good News Garden.’ As you will read elsewhere in Family News, Jill Lloyd has already put together a plan in 3 phases to create a community garden on the Church land at the corner of Dale Street and Portland Place West. ( I am very thankful to Jill for her hard work and commitment). The Good News Garden would act as a starting point of our response to climate change and help build a relationship with those who live and work around us – and bring them into God’s kingdom. This has every promise of being an important spring-board in our Church’s missionary work.
We are currently seeking a circuit grant to help finance this important project, and no doubt we may all be called upon to help with the work – or raise funds – in order to see the project through to the completion of phase 3 in 2022 !
I believe that the completion of the Good News Community Garden will make a significant difference to our life as a church. So let us open our church and ourselves up to passers-by and people in the community.
However, for the above projects to be able to happen and bear fruits, most importantly, we need pray to God for those plans-- because we human beings can make plans but without God’s help and guidance, we can't achieve anything successfully.
Sunday 23rd May is Pentecost (or Whitsun) -- the 50th day of Easter, the birthday of the Church. Christians throughout the world celebrate Pentecost simply because on that day Jesus’ followers were suddenly filled with his Holy Spirit. The disciples changed from being a group of frightened and depressed men into a dynamic team who took to the streets to proclaim, “Jesus is Lord !” Together the apostles made a difference, and the whole Christian movement which began among the Jewish people went on to become a faith for the whole world!
Let us keep working together as the disciples did to make a difference in our community and our world, and to make our church a place where everyone is welcomed, feels loved and grows in their faith of God.
Holy Spirit breathe on us and fill us with your love.
Holy Spirit breathe on us and still us with your peace.
Holy Spirit breathe on us and fire us with your power.
May our breath be your breath as we love and serve you. Amen.
God bless you all
Jeongsook
I pray that we may all stay strong in our faith, help each other in every possible way, and look forward to the day when we can also resume singing our hymns ( loudly!) once again.
Please stay safe and may God bless you all !
Rev Jeongsook Kim