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.)
๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
Coffee morning at GPCC (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
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.
๐ช๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
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.
The Kingdom of God
Last night at our Bible study, we look at what Jesus had to say about the kingdom of God, a common theme in His preaching throughout the 3.5 years of His public ministry. John the Baptist before Him preached on this theme too (‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’ Matt 3:2), a sentiment echoed in Jesus’s opening words of ministry (‘”The time has come,โ he said. โThe kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!โ (Mark 1:15))
A kingdom is a place where a king rules. The kingdom of God is not a geographical location as such (though its presence in our midst (Luke 17:20-21) gives it a geographical aspect; where God’s people let God rule becomes the kingdom of God.) Jesus taught about this kingdom through parables, stories which capture our imaginations through their very ordinariness but which have the power to reveal spiritual truth to us.
The parables of Jesus describing what the kingdom of God is like remind us of the smallness of a mustard seed (which grows tall) or of yeast (which in comparison to other ingredients in bread making looks insignificant, but its influence is pervasive and changes the character of the bread completely. See Matt 13:31-34) Where God rules, justice, truth, love and honour will be seen. There is both a present and a future aspect to God’s kingdom, as the parable of the nets demonstrates. (Matt 13:47-52)
God’s kingdom is likened to a treasure and to a pearl of great pice (Matt 13:44-46). In these parables, we see that what we treasure requires commitment and cost; the people in these parables gave up everything to obtain the treasure and pearl. The kingdom of God is radical in nature (see Matt 19:16-24), requiring our whole-hearted commitment and obedience. The rewards are great, but God’s demands on our lives mean that we have to yield everything we are and have to His rule. Matt 6:33-34 reminds us that we must seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (with the promise that our heavenly Father will meet all our needs) and forms the basis of our prayer, ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ (Matt 6:10)
