Hennie's Blog for December 2013

Hennie's Blog for December 2013

Dear All,

Advent Greetings!  I know I say it every year, but where has this year gone?  I can't believe we have entered the season of Advent, which is also the beginning of the Church Year!  As I look back over this past year 2013 has been one of many blessings, as well as a year of many tears as we have lost dear loved ones, personal to ourselves, as well as family members of St. Mark's. It has been a year of spiritual & numerical growth;  many maintenance mountains climbed (side chapel, roof, heaters, to name but few), which come with financial challenges; new staff welcomed, and a number of different faces serving in new and varied ministries.  God has certainly been on the move at St. Mark's, and Advent is a season that now calls us to look forward as we await the arrival of God's Son into the world - Immanuel - God with us.

It is also a period of reflection pointing us to Christ's second coming at the end of time, and encouraging us to think about our own preparation for that day.  I challenged those at the 9 am service last Sunday whether we were ready for Jesus, should he return tomorrow? I think Advent is a good time to self-examine our own spiritual lives, which will obviously have an important impact on our life as the Body of Christ. We need to keep short accounts with God, and with one another, through regular worship, prayer, reading of the scriptures, fellowship, serving God, and giving back to God by offering him our gifts, time, and money.

The season of Advent takes us back to our discipleship, drawing us to be attentive, first to God, and then to the way we live, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when we do not expect him?  I have a card in my loo which says, 'Jesus is coming - look busy'!  Advent should not be a season of 'busy-ness', but it inevitably is as Christmas 'jumps the gun' and the 'tinsel tunnel' begins! Amongst all the Christmas celebrations that we may attend at work, in the community, in church, and with our family, a number of weeks before the great day of Christ's birth, may I encourage you to step out of the 'tinsel tunnel', if only for a short space each day, and remember that Jesus' doesn't ask for 'busy-ness' - he longs for a deepening of our relationship with him, and with God our Father, through the gift of the Holy Spirit.  We do this, not through 'busy-ness' but by waiting on God, watching for signs of his Kingdom that have already broken through here in earth,  and praying that we will be obedient to God's call on our lives, to join in with Him in sharing His love with others.

I pray that our teaching during the Autumn on 'Come Holy Spirit', and the 7 week course on 'Sharing what you love', will have helped equip us all to share God's love with others this Advent & Christmas season.  Pray that you may invite a friend, family member, neighbour, or work colleague, to one of our Christmas services; and also to our new Alpha course starting in the evening of 22nd January for 7 weeks.  As I have been praying and pondering I feel that God is calling His people back to worship the Infant King for whom we await this Advent. This vulnerable child was born into a violent and turbulent world, but it was through Him that the message of joy, peace and hope would come.  May we too be carriers of this same joy, peace and hope this Christmas time, but not just carriers, but also bearers, and distributors in word and action.

'Loving God and making His love known'

May you have a blessed and joyful month of waiting, watching and praying, in anticipation of great celebrations this Christmastide.

Love and prayers,

Hennie

Hennie's November blog 2013

Hennie's November Blog 2013

Dear All,

As I look back at my blogs I see that both November 2011 and 2012 were written on 7th November, so I feel rather smug as I write this with fireworks blasting off all around me - being the 5th of November! Last month I informed you all that Chanty and I do not look forward to the short winter days, because walks are severely restricted to short day-light hours - but I also have to admit that my four legged friend is not a fan of 5th November either, and is presently wrapped around a certain duvet upstairs!  What a lovely thought............ but blog beckons!

In my last blog as we looked back at September there was so much to give thanks for, and again there is as we look back to the month of October, but also as then, we continue to rejoice and mourn together. At the end of September we grieved with Graham Willson's family after the very sudden death of Barbara, and continue to do so; and in October Sarah Clemetson died (daugher of Joan Clemetson,  and neice of Peggy Lee-George) and we grieve with them, as we do with the family of Nancy Hughes, who had been a very committed member of St. Mark's for many years. Please continue to lift these families up in your prayers, and others in our parish who have recently lost loved ones.  The Bereavement Service on the evening of Sunday 27th October where people had an opportunity to come to St. Mark's and remember their loved ones, who had passed away recently, was much appreciated by those who attended.  Thank you to the Bereavement Team who organised, and officiated at that service.  Please pray for those involved at St. Mark's who daily/weekly/monthly visit the sick, take Home Communion, and offer loving support, comfort and companionship.  Bereavement and funeral ministry is such an important part of the welcome and fellowship that St. Mark's offers, both to those who are already members of God's family, and to those who are seeking, and grieving in our local community. We mourn with those who mourn, and we rejoice with those who rejoice.

And so to rejoicing, and  thanks to God as we saw Him at work throughout October.

I have to say personally I give thanks to God for the opportunity of fulfilling my second year retreat of Ignatian Spritiuality, which I had to postpone earlier this year because of my dear friend,  Ruth's, funeral. It became an 8 day rather than a 10 day because of the importance of being able to be part of Barbara's Willson's funeral - but it was a very blessed time, and God worked with me within the time we had.  During the second week of the Exercises of Ignatius, you are encouraged to contemplate on the Incarnation of Jesus, his hidden years (the years that he is growing up), and his ministry while on earth.  It is a time of contemplating Jesus' humanity, and hear his call afresh on one's own life, discipleship and ministry.  I felt it was very timely, and good preparation for our Parish Weekend Away.

Another blessed time together as nearly a hundred of us spent a weekend away thinking about 'Living Differently'.  Peter Howell-Jones, the Vice Dean of Chester Cathedral, came as our guest speaker, and used the film 'Chocolat' as a spring-board for his challenge to us. He encouraged us to think about 'conformity and social conditioning', and how that might have an impact on our own image of God, the possibility of holding on to unhelpful church tradition, and the importance of allowing the wind of God's spirit to blow into our church, personal life, and in our engagement with others. Peter talked about 'generosity and acceptance'  and asked the question 'what is it that makes us apprehensive about generosity, and why do we so often recoil from openly receiving the generosity of others? He quoted Brian McLaren, 'Generosity is one of the most important spiritual gifts, and greed is one of the souls worst'.  Peter's last session was thinking about living our lives out of a place of love rather than power, and how that might be lived out in our welcome, hospitality, worship, discipleship, service and  mission.  

It was a great weekend of teaching, fellowship and fun, and if you were unable to be with us then Kevin Pearson has spent hours editing Peter's talks, and they are now accessible from St. Mark's website - may I encourage you to listen and engage. Thank you Kevin.

On the last Wednesday in October we started our 7 week course on 'Share what you love', and just after two sessions I have had such encouraging feedback on the teaching that we are receiving from Jay Pathak and Carl Medearis.  This course is open to all who worship at St. Mark's so do come and join us for the next 5 Wednesdays  from 8 pm to 9.30 pm in the church.
The month ended with a great family quiz put together by Nikki and Pippa, which was much enjoyed by all who attended - thank you Nikki and Pippa.

Next month I shall do a joint Dec/Jan blog as we look back, and forward to Advent and the Christmas season.  We are a busy church but I pray that Advent may be a time of waiting and watching, as we pray and await for the coming of our Lord - a time when we are drawn deeper into God, rather than being driven beyond the call of God by our own busyness and needs.

The disciples asked Jesus, 'what must we do to do the works God requires? Jesus said, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent'.   (John 6: 28-29).

Bless you,


Hennie

Sermons from Sunday 13th October available for download

The Holy Spirit and Character
Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2

Both sermons are available to download here http://www.stmarkssaltney.org.uk/Sermons.htm

Don't forget you can catch up with all our sermons on our sermon channel at http://sermon.net/stmarkssaltney

Fellowship Group Notes from Sunday 13th October 2013

Come Holy Spirit #4

The Holy Spirit and Character

Ephesians 4: 25 - 5: 2

• How do you think the Holy Spirit has transformed your life over the past year, and do you desire to grow more like Christ.

• Character versus personality - what Christ like character/s do you know you need the Holy Spirit to help you with?  Be honest in your group.

• How does the challenge of becoming a recklessly extravagant church make you feel - and do you desire to play your part?  Recklessly extravagant with our time, space, money, gifts, welcome, hospitality, speech, action, prayer, worship, devotion, service and mission.

Sermons from Sunday 29th September available for download

The Holy Spirit and experience Both sermons are available to download here http://www.stmarkssaltney.org.uk/Sermons.htm Don't forget you can catch up with all our sermons on our sermon channel at http://sermon.net/stmarkssaltney