A WORD FROM ... Paul Kerry

Dear All,

Verse: John 12:46

‘I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness.’

- The coming of Christ was a gift of light and hope for all of humanity.
- HE wants to become the light of your life and the light of your world.
- As you BELIEVE in Him, darkness and despair can be removed.
- Let His light come and flood your heart and life right now.

PRAYER: Lord, I declare that I believe in You. I open up the door of my heart, and I ask that You would come in, and flood my heart and soul with Your light of hope and I pray that all darkness would be banished. Amen.

A very Happy New year to you all especially as we enter the 200th birthday year of our church building.

Take care and stay safe,

Paul

A WORD FROM ... Paul Kerry

Dear everyone,

Stuck in, unable to go out. How does that feel? I spoke to someone this week who understands why we need to do it, and she really wants to do it, but boy is she feeling the loneliness and isolation of it all.

Of course we are stuck in our homes, with running water, sofas, telephones and Netflix, so it's not all bad. Imagine being stuck, like we are now, but in a cave. That was David's experience in the Old Testament. Saul was pursuing him out of jealous rage and David hid in a cave, unable to go out, stuck. And really helpfully, he wrote a poem about it. In it he tells us how he feels to be stuck in, and he tells us what got him through day by day.

First in Psalm 143v4 he writes: "My spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed." Do you relate to David? Many of us will. And the reality is that no amount of Netflix will take away the dismay, or strengthen us when we feel faint. So what did David do? Every morning he did the same thing, ran to the same place, and believed the same truth.

Later in the same Psalm, in verse 8, he wrote: "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you." David survived the lockdown of the cave by making sure, every morning, he went deeper into and knew more of God's unfailing love. Every. Morning.

How might that help you and me, stuck at home? What practical steps can we take to be reminded of the word of God's unfailing love each day? Studious types: Can you read God's Word each morning? Crafty types: Could you stick a heart by your bed with a verse written in it? Music lovers: Could you play a song while you're stirring the porridge? Adventurous types: Could you thank him for his love in the creation you explore? Friendship types: could you ring a different person each morning as an expression of that love? Technology geeks: Could you download an app for your phone such as "Dwell," "YouVersion," or "Lection 365" which give you daily notes, messages and themes about God's Word? However you do it...

Heavenly Father, we are stuck in our homes at the moment, feeling the isolation and loneliness, knowing faint hearts and at times deep dismay. So may we, like David, have each morning bring us word of your unfailing love.

Yours in Christ,

Paul

A WORD FROM ... Anne Denwood

Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem
“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”

We could say we are in times like that now. Our worship time may not be in church but as we have been taught, we can worship God anywhere. He is with us in the bad times and in the good. We can talk to him anywhere any time in spirit and truth.

So how do we pray alone? Well Jesus did that all the time there are many verses in the Bible where we read of Him going off to pray. A good example is found in Luke 11 :1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Here Jesus gives the disciples what we know today as the Lord’s Prayer. So if we don’t know what to say we all know the Lord’s prayer. We can use the Lord’s prayer as a daily communication with God taking our time to really understand what we are asking.

This helps us with our relationship with God. Even chatting to him as we wash the dishes or in the garden, He loves to hear our voice. We can also purposefully and intentionally take a moment out of our day to spend quiet time with Him that also is prayer. Taking that time to talk with God being in His presence, as we know helps our relationship with Him to grow.

We might be missing praying together but we can still do this. Bishops James and Emma are encouraging us to pray together for the Nation. Each day they are using different themes to pray for. The Nation, schools, family and those who have lost loved ones. This will be done at 6pm each day So we can join with the diocese in praying together as one. Again, Jesus gave the instruction, “Where two or three are gathered in my name there I am in the midst”.

We might not be together in person, in fellowship but if we take up this call to prayer, we will be together in spirit and truth.

A WORD FROM ... Paul Kerry

Dear Friends,

 What questions do you ask when you read the Bible? Some people ask: “why am I bothering?” Others ask: “What is it saying to me?” Still others ask: “What difference does this make to my life?” 

 I’ve realised recently that I spend a lot of time asking: “What does the bible say?” That, and some of the questions above, are good questions to ask. But I’ve come across more recently other questions which are helping me see more of what’s in the bible than I’ve seen before, and to get to know God better than before. Let me share two of them with you…

 The first is “how does the Bible say it?” Whenever we talk to people we always pay attention to the tone of our words as much as to the words themselves. If someone is sad we speak comfortingly, if someone is in danger we speak with warning. God does so with infinitely more wisdom. Listening to the tone of the bible will shape the way I share God’s Word with others, and the tone with which I speak to others.

 The other question is “who is the Bible speaking to?” One thing you notice as you listen to Jesus is that he speaks very differently to a burdened terrified mum than he does to a proud religious leader. Jesus is always aware of people’s situations and struggles. Asking this question will help me get to know God better in his compassion, challenge and humility. And, hopefully, help me (and you!) get to know others better and be more like God towards them.

 Yours in Christ, Paul

HOUSE GROUPS

This term, we are following the Pilgrim course ‘The Beatitudes’. This is a course designed to help us discover the Christian way of life.

If you are interested in joining one of our home groups, please see Paul, Martin, Jim.

REFRESHMENTS AFTER CHURCH

Many of you agree that staying behind for a chat over a cup of coffee is an important part of our services at church. It provides an opportunity to catch up with friends or to reflect on something we’ve heard in the service that day. We are in need of more people to join the rota for serving refreshments or be a reserve who we can call on at short notice on the day. If you can help please see Dorothy or Jim.

MARY'S CARD

Thank you to everyone who contributed to “Mary’s Card” at Christmas.

It was lovely to read all your messages and we’re sure that Mary (Starkey) would have been pleased that not only have we taken up her idea, but that we are continuing with this.

All donations including those at the Christmas services went to the national charity ‘Crisis at Christmas’.

BIBLE DEDICATION

If you would like to have a dedication in one of our new pew bibles, please see Ruth. Recently, we have had dedications for a baptism and a Ruby Wedding Anniversary. If you have someone special in mind (in remembrance of), or something special coming up (baptism, wedding, anniversary), then maybe this is something to consider.

KEEPING IN TOUCH

We have a variety of ways in which we get news out to you all. The diary is only monthly (sometimes bi-monthly). In between times please listen out for updates in church and on the noticeboards. We post regularly on Facebook and on our website. If you are not on our emailing list and would like to be kept up to date in this way, please see Ruth.

NORTH LAKES FOOD BANK

NORTH LAKES FOOD BANK

The foodbank is designed to help individuals and families in crisis, through the provision of emergency food supplies. Local professional care-workers within Allerdale and Copeland refer them, with a food voucher, to the foodbank centre where they are given their food supplies, a cup of coffee and help in finding other professionals who can help them out of their crisis. In rural areas they are given Emergency Food Boxes direct by the local care-workers.

The foodbank allows the general public to contribute to and support local well-being in a simple practical way. Emergency Food Supplies are a short-term measure allowing a breathing space at times of great need. For further details of the work of the foodbank and how you can be involved contact: info@thefoodbank.org.uk
0750 2311 452

We have a collection box in the foyer at the back of church. 
APPEAL ITEMS THIS MONTH:

Tinned Tomatoes

Small Tinned Ham

Sponge Pudding

Shopping List 2020:
No Low Calorie Foods please.
No Sachets of 'Pasta and Sauce' mixes, please.

Fruit Juice (1 ltr carton UHT)
Tomatoes (400g tinned/carton)
Tinned Fruit (400g)
Tinned Vegetables (400g)
Tinned Meat (400g)
Tinned Fish (100g)
Rice Pudding (400g tinned)
Cereal (Medium, 500g ONLY)
Pasta Sauces (jars or sachets)
Pasta (medium bags 500g of dried pasta)
Milk (Full fat or Semi-skimmed, UHT ONLY)
Sponge Pudding (400g tinned)
Biscuits, Snack Bars, Chocolate
Coffee
Jam (not homemade)
Tinned Beans (400g)
Tinned Soups (400g)
Instant Mash Potato (1pkt)

Due to storage, distribution and health considerations unfortunately the Northlakes Foodbank cannot use: Perishable or fresh food (e.g. meat, cheese, dairy, bakery etc.), Damaged tins or packages, Food outside of its use-by date.

www.thefoodbank.org.uk