Hennie's blog for May 2012

Dear All,

Alleluia, Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Four weeks since we celebrated Easter Day, and I pray we are all still rejoicing in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we await another great celebration, Pentecost in three week's time!

Looking back on the month it has been one where I do feel that my personal ministry has been 'stretched out', which can be challenging, and yet God says 'do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes', so that His Kingdom may grow in this parish, and further afield.

I hope and pray that you were able to walk with Jesus during Holy Week, managing to attend some of the acts of worship that took place at St. Mark's. For the first time we had an All Age Service on Good Friday morning to bring together families that had been involved in the Easter Holiday Club (which was a great week for the children), as well as regular members of St. Mark's. A number of us then went on the Walk of Witness through the parish offering easter eggs and invitations to the Easter services, having first been refreshed with drinks and hot cross buns. This was then followed by an Hour at the Cross in the afternoon.  I felt Good Friday this year offered more to the community, and to those who might not necessarily worship on such a day, and helped us to prepare for a great Easter Day.  Thank you to all who were involved in all the different services during Holy Week and Easter, and pray that some of you found some time to rest the following week?!

Since then, much has been going on.  A great Curry Evening was had on Saturday 14th to raise funds for our new Cafe - 'A different taste@St. Mark's', which opens on Thursday 7th June - please pray for Denise Baxtersmallwood as she oversees the running of the cafe, and new team. A powerful Prayer Breakfast for Burma on the morning of Saturday 21st April where a good number of the congregation gathered to have a delicious breakfast; learn more about our Connected Church - Maesai Grace; and to pray through interactive prayer stations in the church.  Beth Gibbons and Rose Johnson put a huge amount of hard work into it, and God blessed and touched all those who came, and who set aside time to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the world.  We thank God, the MST, and all who came and supported the Prayer Breakfast.

Mike Gilbertson, the Archdeacon of Chester, came to preach and preside on Sunday April 22nd, and challenged us with the 'Call to Generosity' as part of our sermon series on looking at the call and cost of discipleship.  If you were unable to be with us on that Sunday may I encourage you to listen to his sermon on our website.  Sacrificial and generous giving is part of being 'stretched out and not holding back',  and God is calling us all to sacrificial giving, as He does to all who declare that He is their Lord & Saviour.  If we are to spread out to the right and to the left in our community with the good news of Jesus Christ, it is going to call for financial resources - so please pray, listening to God, and be obedient to His call on our lives!

I am excited about our Summer Preaching series looking at putting our'Vision into Practice' in the morning services, and Isaiah - 'The Suffering Servant' in the evening. I hope and pray that as we look at what it means to serve and suffer as a disciple of Christ, it will equip us to put our vision into action as we worship, serve and grow, and see lives of all ages transformed and healed through the power of the Holy Spirit.

'Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he'.  (Proverbs 29:18)

Love & prayers Hennie