Pastors Letter (Page 19)

Dear Friends, I recently came across this gem from James Smith (1802-62).  Smith was C.H. Spurgeon’s predecessor.  This was quoted in the book “Knowing Christ” and it concerns the relationship of Jesus to the Holy Spirit. Wherever the Spirit of Christ is, He … Reveals Christ to the understanding, Enthrones Christ in the affections, Gives Christ the control of the will,…

Dear Friends, As a part of my daily “devotional” time, I have been reading a great little book called “Knowing Christ” by Mark Jones.  Recently I read a short chapter entitled “Christ’s Emotions”.  The author, writing on “Christ’s Tears”, took us to the grave of Lazarus in John 11 where it is recorded that “Jesus wept” (Jn 11.35).  Let’s pause for a moment and consider…

Dear friends Do you recognize the letters above? Do they mean anything to you? Maybe I haven’t put yours in? Mines there! Can you pick it? If you haven’t headed down this particular rabbit hole before by venturing into the world of personality tests, then you may not be aware that these are all personality types from the Meyers Briggs Personality Test. I’m sure you’re all…

Dear friends I built a fire pit a few weeks ago. It was a pretty big day of digging, carrying bricks and dragging around logs for seating. A week later it was time to have a fire and enjoy the thing I had made. Having a fire was still work; it was stacking up sticks, getting the fire lit, stoking it, finding marshmallows to cook, helping our daughter lucy work out how to…

Dear friends We think it’s so important that, as a church family, we serve one another as we seek to grow to be more like Jesus. Serving means that we’re able to do the things we love to do and run the programs we’re able to run, but it’s much more than this too. As we serve we express the unity we have in Jesus, participate in his mission to build…

Dear friends The COVID vaccination has been prominent in the press recently, especially the fact that many seem hesitant to take up the Astra-Zeneca vaccination.  Without entering the debate around the mixed messaging of the Federal government, how should we be thinking about this? Is there an ethical issue?  Although the vaccination has been developed using cells…

Dear friends The Psalms are a wonderful gift to us.  They display the whole range of human emotions – from elation to despair, and everything in between.  However. these experiences are always engaged with in the context of relationship with God. This morning I read from Psalm 71: Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,   you who have done great things. Who…

Dear friends This morning I was looking over some notes I made from a great book called Resilient Ministry (note – if you want to be able to care for your Pastors well this book will give valuable insight on how to do that (and, yes, generally I do feel very well cared for)).  I came across this quote: “Pastors often slip into the trap of building their…