If you read this blog regularly you will know that every Friday morning I get a new email from www.worshiptogether.com arrive on my desktop. Included within this email will be details of a new song, free sheet music to download, and a short video interview with the writer(s) talking about how the song came about, how best to play it ...
You will also know that I am quite a fan of Chris Tomlin's music - even if it is slightly on the high side when it comes to singing in church!
Here is one of his latest songs, taken from the Passion Awakening album, and written with Matt Redman, Jonas Myrin and Jesse Reeves. The first video is just the song, and then if you're interested in hearing more about it the second video is the interview with Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin. Enjoy.
Friday, 23 July 2010
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
Rocky's Plaice
Next week we will be running our week long summer holiday Bible club, which this year is called Rocky's Plaice. It is based around a fish and chip shop and looks at various stories in the life of Peter as recorded in the New Testament book of Acts. But more of that next week...
Those of you who are going to be helping out might want to get to grips with the Rocky's Plaice theme song and actions!
Whilst on the subject of new songs - last Sunday we introduced 'The Voice of Hope'. Those of you who belong to our 'strings section' might want to listen to the intro...
Those of you who are going to be helping out might want to get to grips with the Rocky's Plaice theme song and actions!
Whilst on the subject of new songs - last Sunday we introduced 'The Voice of Hope'. Those of you who belong to our 'strings section' might want to listen to the intro...
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Lettuce - what's the point?
I've never really been a fan of lettuce, or a number of other leaves that can be used to make up a salad. What's the point of eating something that needs to be covered in dressing in order for it to taste of anything? And what's the point of growing something that the snails and slugs will enjoy more than you?
The 'what's the point?' or the 'so what?' question is one of the most important questions we can ask whenever we read the Bible. If it doesn't make a difference, what's the point?
This last Sunday we reached Hebrews 10 in our series looking at the book of Hebrews, and the first part of this chapter is a conclusion to the things we've been looking at in previous weeks - things like sacrifices, the temple, the priests... And the second part of this chapter is a kind of 'so what?' If all these things we've said are true, then so what? What difference should it make? And the answers are to be found in a bowl of salad!
1) Lettuce draw near to God (verse 22). No matter who we are and what we've done it is possible, because of Jesus' death on the cross, to know complete forgiveness and a totally new beginning, and therefore we are able to draw near to God. Many of us, often because of less than perfect relationships with our own parents, bad experiences with our head teachers, trouble with the boss etc. have a real problem believing that we can draw close to God. And so although we may make it to the door, we don't have the confidence to burst in (see this post)
2) Lettuce hold unswervingly to the hope we profess (verse 23). Remember that this was a letter to Christians experiencing hardship and persecution. And the encouragement comes to hold on to the hope - the hope of forgiveness, freedom from a guilty conscience, new and eternal life... It is easy to hope when things are all going well. But when things are hard we need to hold on to hope, not because it is a crutch that will keep us going, but because the one who made these promises is faithful.
3) Lettuce consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds (verse 24). We're in this together. And although love and good deeds are the sort of things that should characterise the life of the Christian these things don't come easy. That is why we need to encourage each other in them. We can do this by continuing to meet together, by praying for each other, by being interested in each other's lives, by visiting, by calling, by sharing our stories... You may have other ideas - why not comment.
The 'what's the point?' or the 'so what?' question is one of the most important questions we can ask whenever we read the Bible. If it doesn't make a difference, what's the point?This last Sunday we reached Hebrews 10 in our series looking at the book of Hebrews, and the first part of this chapter is a conclusion to the things we've been looking at in previous weeks - things like sacrifices, the temple, the priests... And the second part of this chapter is a kind of 'so what?' If all these things we've said are true, then so what? What difference should it make? And the answers are to be found in a bowl of salad!
1) Lettuce draw near to God (verse 22). No matter who we are and what we've done it is possible, because of Jesus' death on the cross, to know complete forgiveness and a totally new beginning, and therefore we are able to draw near to God. Many of us, often because of less than perfect relationships with our own parents, bad experiences with our head teachers, trouble with the boss etc. have a real problem believing that we can draw close to God. And so although we may make it to the door, we don't have the confidence to burst in (see this post)
2) Lettuce hold unswervingly to the hope we profess (verse 23). Remember that this was a letter to Christians experiencing hardship and persecution. And the encouragement comes to hold on to the hope - the hope of forgiveness, freedom from a guilty conscience, new and eternal life... It is easy to hope when things are all going well. But when things are hard we need to hold on to hope, not because it is a crutch that will keep us going, but because the one who made these promises is faithful.
3) Lettuce consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds (verse 24). We're in this together. And although love and good deeds are the sort of things that should characterise the life of the Christian these things don't come easy. That is why we need to encourage each other in them. We can do this by continuing to meet together, by praying for each other, by being interested in each other's lives, by visiting, by calling, by sharing our stories... You may have other ideas - why not comment.
Monday, 12 July 2010
A Long Day
We're back home after a long day at GOSH. We arrived about 11am and left the hospital just after 10pm. One of the first things that needed to be done was a swab of the inside of R's nose and mouth - which totally freaked her out and confirmed that there was no way she was having either of the two tests without a GA. But in order to be able to co-ordinate the GA the MRA and the Echo it meant that R had to be last on the list, so that there wasn't the pressure of another patient coming along in 30 mins. Fortunately with the things we had brought with us, the toys at the hospital and some painting we managed to fill the time, without too many requests for a drink. She finally went down for the tests about 4.45 and was back in the ward shortly after 6pm. It was then just a case of waking up, eating, drinking etc. We will now have to wait for another appointment in order to discuss the results - watch this space. Thank you for your prayers.
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