Advent: New Beginings

Advent is upon us. Each year Christians remember the events that lead to the birth of Jesus Christ as a tiny baby. A baby that was God as man. A baby who would be a light to the world. A baby that would offer a new and better way of being. A baby who offers each of us a new beginning if we choose to accept it. All this in a baby, wow!

Back to Church Sunday

This event is one where people are invited, or go, back to church after a gap. It maybe that they have moved, got out of the habit of going, or had a more upsetting reason that lead to them stop going. It is a Sunday where people can visit and see how church has changed for the better.

St James' United Reformed Church, Palmerston Road, Buckhurst Hill, IG9 5NG is holding such a service tommorrow, 10.30am. Everyone is very welcome.

Returning Home

How long since you last went to Church? Sometimes it is hard to go back when you are the only one but you do not have to be as on Back to Church Sunday, 26th September, there will many coming back for the first time in what may have been years. It is a chance to meet new people and indeed find a spiritual home.

Did you once go to Church?

Did you used to go to Church? What was it like? Did you enjoy it? If you left, why was this? Church is not what it used to be!

Fathers

For Christians we see God in three aspects as Son reliant on his father for his energy and who he is, also as the Spirit which feeds God the fathers people with spiritual nourishment and the guidance they need, and as the Father doing all the things listed above and more.

Like any father God wants the best for his children but also knows interfering in their lives will be resented. So God the father tries to guide us not control us. We do make mistakes as a result of not apprehending what God is willing us to do or simply ignoring it as many do. This can have direct consequences of our lives, those around us and indirect consequences like global warming which has affects all sorts of people.

God sees that ultimately all will be alright but knows to how we can cause suffering in the mean time. So if we follow the way of the Father set down by the Son a better world will surely result?

Gone?

Today in the Christian Callender is Ascension Day when in Christ is said to have gone from the Earth. For those left behind this must have been hard, and yet Christ was no normal person. For Christ tells he will give them a present of his presence, the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit guides, teaches and inspires the followers of Christ if they let it. It is an active presnce in their lives. So Christ did not go for long.

Alone in Crisis

One man knows what is to come, pain and humiliation. he knows this and he knows he can pull out at any moment. This decision does just affect him but the whole world. Does he put self preservation over the beginning of renewal for the whole world.

What would you choose?

He chose to put himself last and the world first. In the end there would be such joy for him after all the agony. The joy he knew would follow if people put others first.

A threat to Human Power

We are coming to the Christian Festival of Epiphany when Men of Learning followed a star to a King to ask if he knew where The King was. Herod was a King and he found the idea of The King a threat. A threat to his power and all he had built up here on Earth. Who is King in your life?