eNews | Fri 8th Jan '21
Dear e-News friends and church members,
Welcome to a New Year!
"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee"Isaiah 26:3
If ever we needed a verse like this it’s now.We are into our third lockdown, a new era for the UK as it has exited the EU and a mutated virus running rampage.Yet with all the challenges of lockdown 1 and 2, we saw God do the most amazing things in 2020. Probably the best year ever for the church and ministry, and a remarkable year for so many as they were healed, blessed and protected. It was out of this place that we were able to provide hot food, food bags and hampers around 70,000 times.We do not live as the world, for we do not live in the world, for we live under the covering of the Kingdom of God, and I for one am so glad about that.Out there it’s fear, anxiety, uncertainty and insecurity, in this Kingdom it’s ‘perfect peace’ according to Isaiah.You will hear me share and tell on Sunday as we start our brand-new series ‘THRIVING (not surviving), that this Hebrew word for ‘perfect peace’ is one of the most beautiful words of the Bible-it’s Shalom. No doubt you will have heard Jewish folks and others use it as a greeting. It means, well-being, prosperous, health and safe and content.This is the promise from God to those who fix their hearts and minds on Jesus.Good luck to those who do otherwise, there really is no other way to live through this crisis and thrive.Whilst many people use this word Shalom as a greeting, the word as used by Isaiah is even more powerful in that it’s used in such a way that it makes clear that God makes Shalom happen, God causes the shalom effect.God will see to it-what a promise.More being said on Sunday, so don’t miss the first part of this new conversation starting Sunday.What about the vaccine?Several people across our churches are asking advice, counsel and Godly direction on the way to go with this vaccine. Some are delighted it’s coming, others are very concerned over its safety with the speed of development and others concerned on a conscience level with its ingredients and mode of production. Little of which is spoken of in the UK media, but much more communication made in the American media.Yet others are concerned over end times ramifications.All concerns are valid and important, so on Sunday night at our Breaking of Bread service, Sue and I will endeavour to answer some of these concerns. (5.00pm and 9.00pm)We will also answer some questions that are coming on our church response to the Governments directives on church life.Do join us if you can.The most important thing for you right now is to stay in peace, focus on Jesus and enjoy the shalom river of life flowing.See you at the weekendWe love you guys,Andrew Church Online Giving