It’s been a busy week at church, with lots of great work done by willing volunteers in preparing to decorate the community room and corridor areas of the building. Next week, we’ll be continuing the painting, working every day except Thursday from 10 a.m. The more volunteers we have, the more quickly work will be completed, so if you can spare a couple of hours one day next week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday), that would be great. Lunch is provided for those helping. We are truly grateful for everyone’s stalwart support and appreciate the effort put in by so many of you!

Tonight will see the start of Garry’s new series ‘Talking Point!’, looking at topical issues from a Biblical perspective. We’ve set up a separate page on the website for this, so summaries from the sermons will be under the heading ‘Talking Point’ (you’ll find this under the ‘Blog’ heading on the website menu choices.) You can also add your comments and questions on this page. Tonight’s first topic will be euthanasia, looking at the difficult subject of ‘mercy’ killings, assisted suicide and other topics. Why do Christians believe in the sanctity of life? What do we mean by that? What about suffering? If we allow animals to be put out of their misery when suffering from illness, why shouldn’t we do the same for people? Who should decide these things? These are some of the topics we’ll be tackling tonight, for we need to know what the Bible teaches on these things and why we believe what we believe. Come along at 6 p.m. to find out more!

It is four years since Tim Hughes last released a solo album, so his new release ‘Pocketful of Faith’ was eagerly awaited in our house. It’s not that he has been idle in the intervening years, for apart from his work as worship leader at HTB Church in London, he has headed up ‘Worship Central‘, a movement aimed at equipping and resourcing worship leaders throughout the world and completed a theology degree, a volume of work that certainly would have defeated me! Recently, he has left the security of the church where he has worked for the past ten years to lead a church plant in Birmingham, and the album reflects this exciting but terrifying journey of faith.

To outsiders, such ventures seem exciting and even logical, but for those involved, every time God calls us to new adventures, there will be questions and fear mixed in with our faith. Following God is never boring, never predictable! The title track on the album reflects how we often feel as we step out into unknown territory, how ‘a pocketful of faith’ is all we have to bring, mixed in with the nervousness and anticipation of the unknown, but how God can do so much with our mustard seeds of faith.

‘Plans’ is a vibrant song based on Jeremiah 29:11, reminding us that even in our uncertainties, God is working for our good:

‘You’ve got plans to give us a future and a hope,

We are not forgotten, we are not alone.’ (‘Plans’, Tim Hughes)

‘Here With Me‘ is a prayer that as we step out in faith, we go nowhere unless God is with us, echoing Moses’s prayer in Exodus 33. ‘Only The Brave’ reminds us that we have to take those risky steps of faith if we are to follow God whole-heartedly, but bravery is not an absence of fear, rather a pressing on in God even when we fear. As Ps 56:3 reminds us, ‘when I am afraid, I put my trust in You.’ ‘Hope and Glory’ is a powerful anthem, painting a picture of the security we have in Christ and His power alone to change our world. ‘Sky High’ reminds us of the endless scope of God’s love; ‘Arms’ reminds us that ‘Your arms are big enough for me.’

I’m always interested in the story behind the song, in the people who bring us new expressions of worship, for worship is an overflow of the heart and the songs we connect with are those which reflect our understanding and experience of God. These songs talk of our uncertainties, but are deeply rooted in the character of God, a God whose heart is relentlessly for us, and whose salvation is freely available to all. May we all step out in faith, even if it’s also in fear and trembling, and lean on the strength and power of God, to take us deeper and farther than we’ve ever been before.

In addition to all the volunteer activity that was going on inside the community hall, outside, a joiner was battling the elements to make us a new external notice board:

The new frame will be set higher (so it is visible above the railings) with a waterproof backing:

Our thanks go to Jason for his hard work and whilst there is still painting work and notices to sort out for the inside of the board, we hope this will be yet another improvement to our facility!

Yet more volunteers turned out yesterday to continue the plastering, sanding and cleaning jobs at church… and this time actual painting started!

A new step has also been made to help with the youth club:

Don’t forget that Garry’s new series ‘Talking Point’ starts this Sunday at 6 p.m. If you’d like to leave a comment or question, there’s a new ‘Talking Point’ page on the website. Click on ‘Blog’ and you’ll find the category ‘Talking Point’ where you can hopefully join in the discussions.

What would you like to talk about? What topical issues are things you’d like to see tackled in this series? How can the Bible be relevant to the 21st century? Come along to find out more; use the website to discuss further.

Those skilled in decoration tell me (the unskilled) that ‘it’s all in the preparation.’ Taking the time to prepare well aids the actual decoration itself.

So today’s work at church was all about preparation, as the list below indicates!

Dusting the cobwebs away:

Filling in the cracks:

Sorting out the blinds:

Taking the blinds down before masking off the windows prior to painting:

A corridor without pictures…

In addition, kitchen cupboards were cleaned and parts of the community room were sanded down, so it will be all go tomorrow! Many thanks to all who gave their time today – and tomorrow, it’s the same time (10 a.m.), same place for more preparation work and maybe even some painting!