Stainglass window
Christmas 2011
3rd Dec Advent Party
12th Dec @ 2pm
Carol Service at Oak tree Court
16th Dec @ 2.30pm
Carol Service at Stratford Court
17th Dec @11am
Carol Singing outside Co-Op
18th Dec Nativity and Christingle Service and Carol Service
24th Dec @ 11pm (Service starts at 11.30pm
United Service at URC Etwall Rd
25th Dec @10am
Christmas Day Service
"Tell It!"
Dear Friends,
The story is told of an official visit to a oil refinery. The visitors were shown all around: how the oil was received by pipeline, how it was transformed and refined, and so on. At the end of the tour, one of the visitors asked about the export department. They hadn't seen where the oil left the refinery. The manager looked embarrassed. "We don't have an export department," he replied. "All the oil we receive goes on powering the machinery in the refinery. There's none left over to go anywhere else!"
Sad to say, many Churches seem to operate on that same principle. Everything they receive from spiritual blessing to finances go to keep the structure of the Church running. There's none left to go elsewhere! That is surely the complete opposite of what Jesus intended! As the former Archbishop of Canterbury, William Temple, was fond of reminding his congregations, "The Church exists for the benefit of non-members!"
That is why we are joining with seven other local Churches in Cluster Mission this April. You can find a few more details about it elsewhere in this newsletter. Our AwayDay this year in March will also be about our relationship to those who live and work around us.
For most of us, that's probably old news. We know we ought to be taking God's World out into the world, and many feel guilty about their failure to do so. But where can we find the incentive? In his second letter to the Corinthians, in the New Testament, the apostle Paul describes what motivates him to look outwards, not inwards. Two things in particular seem to have driven him, and he mentions them both in Chapter 5 of his letter.
1. THE VERDICT OF THE JUDGE
"We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due to him for the things done in the body, whether good or bad. Since we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men........" (2 Corinthians 5 10-11)
This was Paul's first motivation. He was painfully aware of the ultimate accountability of the whole human race to Jesus Christ the judge. How could he be anything other than forthright when he knows that one day he will have to explain to God how he lived his life?
How can he face God with a clean conscience if he knows he has neglected the task of sharing the Gospel with men and women who also stand there, men and women who might say to Paul, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Perhaps, if like Paul, we kept the thought of the judgement of Christ in our minds, we might be less laidback about telling others about our faith.
Imagine you knew that tomorrow the clocks would stop, that tomorrow would be the day when time would come to an end, and all human beings would face their maker. Wouldn't there be some telephone calls you would like to make today? Some visits you'd want to make?
The verdict of the judge adds urgency to the task. But there is a second motivation too:
2. THE LOVE OF THE SAVIOUR
"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that thgose who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and was\ raised again" (2 Corinthians 5: 14-15)
It is the love of Christ that drives me on, says Paul. He knew that Jesus Christ died on the cross for him. As we often say at our communion services, "Drink this in rememberance that Christ's blood was shed for YOU..........." That's why I've got to tell others, says Paul. Whenever he was tempted to pull back, he reminded himself of just how much Jesus had been willing to sacrifice for him.
If we really know what it is to have a friend like Jesus ( as the old hymn puts it) don't we want others to know and experience that as well?
If these incentives are not enough to compel us to tell others about the good news of Jesus Christ, then the Church will die. And it will deserve to die. For it will be like that oil refinery, which keeps everything it receives for itself.
Your friend and pastor,
Jonathan Calvert