It has been a privilege to spend time with Fredrick and Reeba this weekend and week, planning for our missions’ trip to India. Last night, the eight of us who are going to India had a meal out with them and began to make more definite plans for what we will be doing out there:

Our time there will involve visiting a number of different churches, speaking to pastors and women’s groups, visiting the tailoring programme and orphanages and also visiting people (especially Hindus who may be afraid to come to church but who are seeking God) in their homes. Fredrick and Reeba have kindly visited people while they are here, praying for those who are not well and who need God’s healing and help.

It has been good to talk about life in India in order to prepare ourselves for the trip. Bangalore is a city of 9 million people (London’s population is just under that) and Fredrick has spoken of the differences between ministry in the city and in rural areas (which the team hopes to visit during the second week.) Indian values are very family-oriented and British influence can still be seen there (they drive on the left and their electricity supply runs on systems adopted from the UK), but of course, the Christian population is in a minority compared to Hindus and Muslims and there can be real opposition and persecution to Christianity.

During their stay, we tried to show them some of our local history, taking them to York, where we had lunch at Betty’s, a very famous tea shop with Yorkshire and Swiss roots:

… as well as educating them about York’s ‘chocolate history,‘ including the influence of the Quaker families Rowntree, Cadbury and Fry in running a successful business whilst pioneering revolutionary care of the workforce (instituting pensions, holiday pay, sick pay and accommodation which included leisure facilities.) Garry was particularly impressed with the notice giving the health benefits of chocolate (!) and Fredrick and Reeba enjoyed decorating chocolate lollipops, telling us that chocolate is not particularly popular in India, with sweets and cakes being made there in abundance, but not chocolate.

We also showed them some of York’s famous churches, including York Minster, first opened in the 7th century, so an iconic landmark in York’s history.:

Please pray for Fredrick and Reeba as they continue to visit friends and family in the UK before returning to India next week where they, like us, will be busy with plans for Christmas celebrations and outreach. Pray for them as they plan for our trip in April and for us as we save money, pray and prepare for our visit there. We have given them a financial gift to help purchase more talking Bibles and sewing machines for the graduation in January and are looking forward to being able to partner with them in their different ministries in Bangalore and beyond as we go into 2017.

The official reminder that the Christmas Market is coming soon!

Outside on the market stalls there will be craft stalls, food stalls (if you haven’t got your chutney from Turner New Leaf, they will be selling it at the market!), a bouncy castle, Santa’s Grotto and much more.

Inside in the church building, there will be crafts to buy and make, raffles, tombolas, the donkey piñata, plus the opportunity to have your Christmas presents wrapped and home baking and refreshments (including luxury hot chocolates, topped with marshmallows or flakes!) to sample. All proceeds from the church activities will go to the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal, helping local families in need.

This is a great opportunity to see the community work together. At 6 p.m. we’ll be holding the ‘Churches Together’ carol service outdoors, so do come along and join us for this. Put the date in your diaries now – Friday 9th December, 4-8 p.m.

We had a birthday to celebrate tonight.

It was a tremendous privilege to have Fredrick and Reeba with us today. This evening, they spoke about their work in India. Reeba gave thanks for the support we give to the tailoring programme, which now runs in two cities (with a third programme due to launch soon in Reeba’s home province), providing skills and equipment to help women become self-sufficient. Fredrick spoke of many Hindus coming to faith, including a taxi driver whose whole family has now turned to Christ and been baptised. They are using talking Bibles to help those in rural areas and the disabled; we gave a gift which we hope will be used to purchase more of these.

In speaking from Luke 2:8-11, Fredrick reminded us that the birth of Christ tackles all our fears and His arrival brings great joy. Jesus is our provider, our redeemer and the one who brings joy, but Christ has to be born in each one of us. He abolishes the caste system so prevalent in India because He breaks all man-made systems and reminds us that every single person has inestimable value. Gal 3:28 reminds us that there is no distinctions any more; we are all one in Jesus Christ. No one is excluded (Matt 1:23), for He was born for all and is a Saviour to all, One who gives abundant life to all who believe.

Jesus brings peace in our lives, despite the many challenges we may face. He wants us to make the most of the opportunities He gives us. When the tailoring ministry started, they had nothing – no machines, no area for teaching – but God supplied all their needs. First of all, God gives us a vision for what He wants, but then we have to persevere through the challenges to see Him supply all our needs. As people respond to the challenge, God supplies the need: ‘where there is a vision, there is provision.’

Christ’s birth was also the sign of God’s favour. His favour rests on us (see Ps 103:14) and because of this, we can respond to all the challenges ahead of us with confidence and faith.

Fredrick and Reeba with a church member:

Enjoying fellowship over a meal after the service:

Back in July, John spoke on us being light-emitting disciples; this morning, Garry reminded us that we need to be streetlights for God!

This weekend, we have been thinking especially about India because of the visit from Fredrick and Reeba. India is a vast country of 1.2 billion people, with 79.8% of the population Hindu. The Hindu religion has a strong caste system, with the Brahmin at the top of the system and the Dalits (the ‘untouchables’) at the bottom of this system. There is much spiritual hunger in India, but people need the truth of the gospel to satisfy that hunger. Just as Paul introduced the Athenians to the ‘unknown god’ they worshipped (see Acts 17:22-23), Hindus and those following other religions in India need to be introduced to Jesus.

Ps 119:18 asks that God will open our eyes to see the wonderful things that are in His law; Ps 119:130 reminds us that the unfolding of God’s word gives light. Light reveals and illuminates truth, and people’s religious yearnings are an attempt to make sense of the reality they perceive around them. God’s Word is a light and a lamp (Ps 119:105) and we need to share this light with others so that those who are in darkness may be brought into the light (see Is 42:1-6, Is 9:1-2, Rom 10:14-15).

Our lives are called to be living stories of God’s grace; Peter urges us to always be prepared to give a reason for the hope we have when asked (1 Pet 3:15) and God wants us to ‘live and tell’ His story with gentleness and respect. We gather together in church meetings, but then we are ‘scattered’ in our daily lives, rather like street lights are not clumped together but are spaced out, nonetheless giving illumination to the road.

Whether we are in the UK or in India, our role is to be the light of the world, allowing God’s light to shine in and through us so that others may be brought into a knowledge of Him. India may seem very different to the UK which is far more secular in its outlook, but the task of the church remains the same, wherever it may be. We are called to ‘live and tell’ God’s story, so that His light may illuminate the darkness and bring people to saving grace.

Last night I ventured to Huddersfield for the ‘Big Church Night In‘ with Tim Hughes and Worship Central and Reuben Morgan (Hillsong) for a great night of worship.

It was encouraging to worship alongside so many other Christians and to sing songs like ‘Mighty To Save’, ‘Cornerstone’, ‘The Same Power’ and ‘Hope and Glory’, proclaiming God’s sovereignty, love and power. Truth sung is valuable to restoring perspective and building faith in us.

Next year, the Big Church Day Out will be held on two different weekends in two different locations: in Sussex on 27-28 May and in Cheshire on 2-3 June.