Advent Challenge Day 6

Luke 6

One of the major contentions in today’s world involves working on Sundays – but it isn’t a new issue! Jesus and his disciples were walking through a field and picked some heads of wheat and ate them – constituting working on a Sabbath! When the Pharisees challenged him, Jesus’ answer astounded them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

On another Sabbath, Jesus was preaching in a synagogue, and a man with a withered (paralysed) hand appeared. The Pharisees watched closely, but Jesus wasn’t to be deterred, and healed the man! Notice at this point that the Pharisees were already plotting to see what they could do about Jesus – early into his ministry.

Having chosen his twelve disciples, Jesus goes to a plain, and delivers the Sermon on the Mount – with Luke recording the Beatitudes, albeit in a shorter fashion, before warning against judging others, lest we too would be judged.

Finally, Jesus explains that we need to listen to his words and put them into practice, like the person who builds their house upon a foundation of bedrock, able to withstand the flood when it comes. How are your own flood defences?

Note v46 – “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and don’t do what I tell you?” This could be Jesus’ very message to today’s world – or more specifically, to the very Church itself! Perhaps we all need to consider our obedience to God.

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AccessNI Check process

Hi folks Please see the following pages for the process of getting our AccessNI accreditation for our Sunday School and GFS leaders and helpers. You will need to print out the pages and keep a special note of the long number provided to you by email and let me know as soon as possible. We require an Enhanced check for everyone - and use the PIN number 918066 as detailed on the first page. The second page details the forms of identification you will need to provide - one from the first group, and two from the second group. The quicker we can all get the checks completed, the sooner we can get everything back to normal and put this whole process behind us for another three years! If you can photograph yourself (by smartphone or tablet) and email (revdjohnny@gmail.com) or WhatsApp (07488371680) them to me, that'd be great. I will also be available at the Parish Hall on Monday evening from 7pm to 8pm to help you with anything you would like assistance with! If you need any help at all

Back to the BCP!!

Hi folks It’s been a long time since the pandemic started and the lockdowns - and Covid hasn’t really gone away! I had the dubious honour of getting Covid for the second time just before Holy Week, giving me the chance to think about ministry direction, both my own and in the parish. One of the original responses to the pandemic was to limit our use of the hymn books and our Prayer Books. At the beginning I produced a service sheet with all the relevant liturgy - which we used in the car park and when we returned to the church. Our “temporary measure” lasted almost three years - and it’s time to move on! Our Book of Common Prayer contains our unique identity - in fact the word “Common” doesn’t mean ordinary but that it shows our unity - the liturgy we hold in “common”. We will be returning to our BCPs from this weekend, the Second Sunday of Easter. We will be using Morning Prayer Two - and we will guide us through the service. We look forward to seeing you in church or online via Fb

Second Sunday in Lent

Hi folks Another week has literally flown by - and we've already started the new month! This Sunday's readings include the best known passage in the Bible, John 3 - the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. In this passage, Jesus sums up the whole Gospel message of love, salvation and eternal life in one verse, known to us all as John 3:16. Is this the most important verse in our Holy Scriptures? Possibly, but join us on Sunday to discuss the passage, and how it fits into the Christian life as we know it. Our service is Holy Communion Two, and our readings and passages are listed on our service sheets attached. Our service will be streamed on Facebook (all being well) and shared afterwards on our page if you can't join us live. Blessings Johnny

Aghavea Parish Church

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