I believe the psalmist speaks for all of us when s/he prays, “As a deer longs for flowing streams so my life longs for you O God” [Psalm 42:1]. I also believe that the psalmist is speaking literally rather than metaphorically. Simply put, we thirst for God as we thirst for water.
Human beings can only go without water for about three days and even one day without water is tough! The same applies to our relationship with God — reminding us to drink daily from the multitude of means of grace given to us, not least the gifts of silence and prayer and reading of the Scriptures.
Equally it would be a health risk for us to think that we can last much past three days without connecting as Church. Church simply understood is Christ-centered Community.
For this reason I want to invite you to attend Wednesday Church.
The evenings will generally include a mixture of worship / teaching / discussion / coffee….from 7pm-9pm.
“What I Would Say to Osama bin Laden”
“What I Would Say to Osama bin Laden” A Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh answers this question in an interview with Anne A. Simpkins on the 28th September 2001. During Wednesday Church we will be reflecting on his answer.
Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese monk in the Zen tradition, who worked tirelessly for peace during the Vietnam War, rebuilding villages destroyed by the hostilities. Following an anti-war lecture tour in the United States, he was not allowed back in his country and settled in France. In 1967, he was nominated by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is now internationally known for his teaching and writing on mindfulness, and for his work related to “socially engaged Buddhism,” a call to social action based on Buddhist principles. Thay, as he is affectionately called by his followers, shared his thoughts on how America should respond to the terrorist attacks.
John Wesley’s Three Simple rules
Join in the discussion of about these three simple rules that when taken seriously promise to turn our lives and world up-side-down.
Do No Harm
Do Good
Stay in Love with God
The starting point of our weekly discussions will be from Rueben Job’s book entitled: Three Simple Rules – A Wesleyan Way of Living.
16 March We reflect on Japan
Wednesday Church will be dedicated to prayer and reflection in response to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. We will be looking at questions like “Why do these things happen if God is all-loving and all-powerful?” And “Why pray?” 7pm in the Sanctuary.
The First Wednesday Church (26 January) we will be reflecting on the covenant commitment.