The Fall
Tonight in our Bible study discussion, we looked at the Fall (Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:1-13). The snake approached Eve with the question, ‘Did God really say…?’, sowing doubt in her mind. Questions are not necessarily bad, but can often railroad us, especially when they are overstated, as this was (the serpent implying they were not allowed to eat from any tree, when actually, only one was forbidden.)
The consequence of sin was death, which from the Biblical point of view means separation from God firstly, and only secondly separation from earthly life. The serpent lied about this consequence, and as Jesus reminds us, lies are his native language. He caused Eve to doubt God’s love and care for them, something we too can easily do. The implications were that God did not love them or really want the best for them, and so the temptation was over whom to believe. This is still the case today.
The chapter also shows us the consequences of their subsequent confrontation with God. Adam blames the woman and God (after all, God gave him Eve!); Eve blames the serpent. Blame-shifting is often our default response when confronted by sin, but the truth is that sin is a choice we make. Adam’s sin was greater in that he made a straightforward choice to eat what Eve offered; Eve was deceived (i.e. she did not misunderstand; she was caused to believe something false.)
Next time, we will look further at the consequences of sin and the Fall.
Advent Hope
Today is the first Sunday in Advent, the day we especially think about hope. Advent is the time when we look back at the first coming of Jesus and give thanks for God’s love, mercy, grace and kindness, shown especially in the first arrival of His Son, which we celebrate at Christmas: God in human form, born in humility and vulnerability, in difficult times of Roman oppression, when His arrival signalled both great hope and a massive flurry of opposition, as Herod tried to maintain his grip on power, not understanding the heavenly nature of this new King.
As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, taking time out from the busyness of the season with its parties, shopping frenzy, decorations, cooking and events (I’m involved in at least nine Christmas services or concerts in December), we are rekindled by hope: hope as we reflect on the fact that the Light has shone in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it, hope that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all, hope that Jesus is the Light of the world, and that light makes all the difference to a dark and troubled world.
But hope tells us also to look ahead, and not simply to look back. Hope urges us to look ahead to the second arrival of Jesus, which is still to come, ‘the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.’ (Titus 2:13) This is the hope that sustains believers in Christ. We know that His first arrival led to His death and resurrection and that He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own. (Titus 2:14) Christmas reassures us that we can be saved. Easter reminds us that sin, death and the grave do not have the last word. But at Advent, we also look ahead to what is to come: the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, in glory, in judgment, in power.
As Advent hope fuels our lives on earth, we become people ‘eager to do what is good.’ (Titus 2:14) We become people who live to please God and to serve Him. May Advent hope lift your head today and in the weeks to come. Look up! Jesus is coming again.
You Are The Salt Of The Earth
In our service today we looked at our identity as ‘salt of the earth’ (Matt 5:13), a phrase which has come to mean someone who is humble, good and unassuming. Salt is very common and seen as ordinary nowadays (though in Roman times, soldiers were paid in salt – hence our word ‘salary’), but even if our role in society seems very ordinary, it is nonetheless important.
Salt is important in 5 distinctive ways:
1. In flavouring
2. In preserving
3. In sacrifices
4. In destruction
5. In fertilising
The Message version of Matt 5:13 talks about ‘โYouโre here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth.โ We all know how salt can enhance the flavour of food (especially chips and crisps!) and can be mixed with other flavours to create something new (e.g. salted caramel.) God created a good and perfect world; it is our job, even though sin has tainted much of what we see, to bring out the goodness and remind people of God through how we live.
Food was often preserved through salt in the days before refrigeration. Christians are called to remind others of God’s invisible presence in the world and thus to preserve all that is good and wholesome. Salt not only savours; it saves. As salt, we are called to stand up for what is right, to fight injustice, to help the weak and vulnerable. As we do this, we preserve God’s ways in the world.
Lev 2:13 mentions salt in sacrifices, and we are called to live distinctly different lives where we value others and deny ourselves (see Phil 2:3-4). We are called to remind the world that the Jesus way is the way of self-denial and sacrifice.
Salt is often mentioned in judgment and destruction (see the story of Lot’s wife who looked back when leaving Sodom.) Unpopular though it may make us, we are called to remind people of the consequences of sin and of the judgment that is coming on those who do not believe. We cannot present a one-sided view of God, but must warn all people that now is the day of salvation.
Salt can also be used as a fertiliser for soil; depending on the conditions, it can help the earth retain water, make fields easier to plough, release minerals for plants, kill weed, protect crops from disease, stimulate growth and increase yields. We are called to sow the seed of God’s word everywhere and can enrich our communities through how we live.
Being the salt of the earth, therefore, is a noble and vital role for every believer. We can make a difference. We can bring flavour; we can preserve all that is good and honourable; we can show the world a different way of living, the way of sacrifice. We can remind people of the consequences of sin; we can act as a fertiliser that promotes growth. As we do this, the effect we have on other people and on our communities is significant. When we live in this counter-cultural way, when we follow Jesus whole-heartedly and take up our cross daily and deny ourselves, then we can live out our identity as the salt of the earth and our discipleship becomes flavoursome, preserving goodness, exposing sin and bringing growth to others.
Glowthorpe Lantern Parade
We are really looking forward to different community events happening soon.
Glowthorpe Lantern Parade is just over a week away! It’s happening on Tuesday 25 November between 4.30 and 7.00 p.m., with the actual lantern parade happening at 6 p.m. This will be at the Welfare Grounds and Dearne Playhouse in Goldthorpe.
It’s a free community event, funded by the Inclusion & Unity Fund (BMBC Love Where You Live), and we hope that all who have been busy making lanterns with artist Sue Walpole will come and pick up their lanterns on that day from the IKIC youth centre near the medical centre between 4.30 and 5.45 p.m.
There will loads of free entertainment outdoors, including Helter Skelter Arts with their light-up stilt walkers, bubbles and fire performer, plus Marbles Make Up is offering free face painting thanks to our funding. There will be a disco bike leading the parade and providing music for us, and we are excited to think of this celebration of light. Indoors, drinks will be served, toilet facilities are available and we hope to have a variety of children performing inside the Playhouse.
Food vans will be available, so you can eat your tea and have a drink/ cake/ sweets while you gaze on the RSPB Old Moor huge lanterns and enjoy this free community event.
Parking is available in the right hand car park, but please walk to the event if you’re local!
Dates For December
๐ช๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
‘Churches Together’ prayer meeting at Furlong Road Methodist Church, Bolton upon Dearne (1.45 p.m.)
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Coffee morning at GPCC (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
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Our church service is at 3 p.m., followed by our Christmas meal. Please book in for the meal.
๐ช๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
Singing carols at Parkside Care Home at Wombwell at 2 p.m.
๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐ฏ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
‘Stations To the Cradle’ at Goldthorpe Railway Embankment & the Salvation Army (11 a.m. – 2 p.m.)
๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐ฐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
GPCC service at 3 p.m.
๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
Our last ‘Mindful Moments’ session of 2025 will be at GPCC between 6 and 8 p.m.
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Parent & Toddler Christmas party (9-11 a.m.) at GPCC. Raffle drawn.
๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐ต ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
Parent & Toddler Christmas party round 1! (9-11 a.m.) at GPCC. Raffle drawn.
๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
Carol service at 3 p.m. ‘A Miracle In Town’ will be our theme!
๐ง๐ต๐๐ฟ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
Our Christmas Day service will be at 10.30 a.m. at GPCC. Join us to celebrate our Saviour’s birth!
๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
Our service will be at 3 p.m. as usual.
Please note that the Parent & Toddler group will run on Wednesdays and Fridays in December until 19 December and will resume on๐ช๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ.
Please note that there will be ๐ป๐ผ ๐บ๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐.
News from India
We have recently heard from Fredrick and Reeba in Bangalore, India. They spend time visiting different towns and meeting local church leaders, pastors and evangelists. The majority of the village pastors and evangelists are literate in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindhi languages, but not in English. Although Bibles are available in their respective languages, there are currently no concordances or explanatory commentary in the Indian languages.
They are fortunate to have William MacDonald’s commentary on the Old and New Testament, which was translated into Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi languageโs and published last month in October 2025, and only found in city Christian book shops. The package costs ยฃ10 for the Old Testament and ยฃ10 for the New Testament. Additionally, the commentary bible, which has a wealth of biblical history, cultural contexts, and definitions for all names and towns, is costly for village pastors to purchase. An extremely helpful commentary for all pastors.
Their desire is to buy these commentaries and hand out to every village Pastors, Evangelist and leaders so they also can educate and teach people in their villages.
God recently made it possible for them to purchase twenty sets of Kannada commentaries today, and these were delivered to the village of Aimangala in the Chitradurga District and freely distributed to Pastors and Evangelistโs in need. The pastors in the village were ecstatic, stating that they had never seen a complete Kannada bible with commentary in their native tongue. For having such a blessing in their lives, they all thanked God.
In the coming days their aim is to purchase a set of 100 commentaries and deliver to five towns in the upcoming weeks, if God wills. Every villages would receive twenty Bible commentaries. We are grateful for your prayers so that we can obtain these commentaries for the evangelists and village pastors in the towns & states listed below. Thank you, God Bless,
Your prayers for 100 bible commentaries are much valued.
