Autumn Sermon Series - ‘St. Mark’s, get set, go ......’!

The Autumn Service series is available to download here.


‘As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net  into the sea – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “follow me and I will make you fish for all people”. And immediately they left their nets and followed him’.

Mark 1: v.16-18

Morning Series

Acts and the Gospel of Mark

As we go into the Autumn we are going to finish our sermon series on Acts in September focussing on Acts 9, and then move on to look at the Gospel of Mark for October and November.

Mark’s Gospel is the shortest of the four gospels, and often symbolised by the picture of a lion – fast, focussed and fearless. If we know our Narnia stories by C.S. Lewis, whenever Aslan appears he dashes from place to place as he is needed in great leaps and bounds: ‘he rushes on and on, never missing his footing, never hesitating’, and Mark gives us a picture of Jesus who is on a mission with limited time to fulfil it. 

Mark also gives us a picture of what Jesus expected from those he called to follow Him – they too are his co-workers in bringing in God’s kingdom here on earth. Jesus calls, teaches, mentors, heals, and sends out his disciples, and God who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, expects no less from his followers today.

I hope and pray that as we meet Jesus in Mark’s Gospel we too will be equipped to ‘get set’ and ‘go’ for our Lord and Saviour, continuing to grow deeper in our relationship with God, in readiness to go further out in our witness. May it be your prayer too that as a church, we will grow in God’s grace, allowing Him to do new things with us, among us, and through us.

‘Help us spread your fragrance wherever we go. Flood our souls with your spirit and life’.

 (Mother Teresa, 1910-97)

Evening Series 

Nehemiah

This autumn we are going to be delving deep into the Book of Nehemiah, so do come and join us if you can.  As we continue as a church to seek God’s vision for the future I believe this book could have a significant impact on our discipleship and in the renewal of our faith.  It is a book all about Vision and a coming together of God’s people to see it fulfilled – how exciting is that?!

‘What this society needs is….!’; ‘what this church needs is….!’ Someone ought to do something! It’s so easy to analyse, scrutinise, discuss, and talk  about what needs to be done, and expect someone else to do something about it.  But when our hearts are in touch with God’s, and when our hearts break with what breaks God’s heart, then we will be moved into action. 

Nehemiah saw what broke God’s heart - the walls of Jerusalem needed rebuilding, and the people needed to be renewed in their faith. His heart was broken too and instead of analysing the situation, he did something. He left a responsible job to do and rebuild God’s kingdom, and his people. Nehemiah was a man of action which ultimately brought spiritual revival to God’s people.

As we study this book, and learn from Nehemiah in action, I pray that we too will grow into a people on whom God can rely on us to act, building his Kingdom and bringing revival to his church.

Themes for Sunday 4th September

Morning: 

God’s Word – 400 year

Evening:  The servants prayer

Nehemiah 1

September Prayer Bulletin

The September Prayer Bulletin is here for download!


Please remember to pray for:
CAP
Alpha
The parish weekend

Maesai Grace International Church Newsletter

The latest newsletter from our connected church - Maesai Grace International Church is available to download

Hennie's August Blog for St. Mark's & the Lighthouse

Summber break - relational and restorational

Monday 1st August, four months into new post, and the summer break lies before us. Perhaps many of you have already taken off with your family, or by yourselves, to meet up with extended family or friends, and to spend time away from school, college, work or even home. A time for space, to catch one's breath; a time for relaxation and restoration; and a time to spend with others, perhaps meeting and making new friends, or building on already good friendships and deepening our relationships with others. Whatever you are doing over the summer, at home or away, I hope you will have a restful break, and come back rested and restored physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Over the past few months we have been looking at the Book of Acts & the Letter to the Ephesians, and learning afresh how the person of the Holy Spirit moved and equipped the early church. I believe God has been speaking powerfully to us through His living word about how the lives of the disciples, and early followers of Christ were transformed through powerful prayer, and the filling of the Holy Spirit. Over the past two weeks my daily readings from SU Bible notes 'Encounter with God' has taken me to Luke's Gospel reminding me that being a disciple of Jesus Christ should be sacrificial, transformational, and relational; and three gifts we are given to help us on our way, amongst many others, are faith, prayer, and the Holy Spirit.

As we have preached on Acts and Ephesians, people have been reflecting on the Holy Spirit, as have I. On the train last night coming back from London, I was thinking of recent conversations that I have had with others about the Holy Spirit, and I was reminded of something I read on my way down from a book entitled 'A praying life'. 'Deep in our psyches we want an experience with God or an experience in prayer. Once we make that our quest, we lose God. You don't experience God; you get to know him. You submit to him. You enjoy him. He is, after all, a person'! I think often that people also make it their quest to have an experience of the Holy Spirit, forgetting too that the Holy Spirit is a person, or they fear what might happen if their relationship becomes too intimate with the Holy Spirit, and therefore keep their distance.

May I suggest that firstly to get to know someone there is only one way, and that is to spend time with them, and to listen to them. It is no different when it comes to deepening our relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Perhaps as you enjoy your break this summer in other people's company, remember that God longs to spend time with you also. Jesus describes the intimacy he wants with us by saying that he too would like to join us for dinner. (Rev 3:20) Discipleship is relational.

Secondly, as you do new things on holiday, or your careful holiday arrangements do not go to plan, remember that the early church was powered by a new vision of the Kingdom of God which called the people out of their comfort zones, and equipped them to take huge risks for God. Many a time their plans were messed up by the unpredictable work of the Holy Spirit! But lives were transformed, as some, literally gave their lives to Christ. Discipleship is sacrificial, relational and transformational.

Two questions to ponder from my daily bible notes, and which have been challenging me.

1) How can we combine a responsible attitude to church life with a genuine openness to the unpredictable work of the Spirit?

2) How can we encourage each other to leave our comfort zones and do something risky for God?

Lastly a question from your vicar - are you willing to lay aside 15 mins each day to spend time with God - not speaking at Him, but listening to Him, and deepening your relationship with Him? And if there is more than one in the household, how are you going to encourage and enable this to happen for one another, and the family?

Summer blessings,

Hennie