I’ll say it again…

03 May I’ll say it again…

Blessed Wednesday y’all!

I hope you pegged your laundry with 3 pegs per sock today…otherwise it’s in the neighbour’s yard! What a messy blustery sort of day!!!

 

But before I get too far blown about myself…I’ll say it again: “Thank you.”

I’ve seen firsthand over these last weeks just how caring & compassionate you all are when death strikes again and again. Grief has had a fair whack at us this past month & you’ve served & comforted & supported one another…and I thank you. We only do this as a family of disciples…none of us faces this world alone, or if we try we get quickly overwhelmed. Like I said Sunday, “On-line churching is not the full expression of church. On-line membership or worship in front of a screen is not the same. We can do amazing things via the internet…being church is not really one of them. We can talk, study, learn, pray…but I cannot touch, hold, hug, weep with you if I’m not with you.” Living Water is extremely Spiritually gifted at surrounding those in need with our Christlike presence. Thank you. Let’s pray we have a decent respite before we need to do that again.

 

Looking ahead to this Sunday…May 7^th…It’s a Morning Tea & Giving Beyond Ourselves Sunday. As always, I trust your joyful generosity.

There’s no Zoom Bible Study this week…but there will be on the 12^th of May.

Mother’s Day is the 14^th of May…May it be richly blessed!

 

Now a very important “Watch this space” note: (It’s “very important” because it includes an invitation for some of you)

Throughout June, July & August, our worship & teaching time on Sundays will focus on the book of Exodus. You know the story…God rescues his people from slavery & leads them towards the freedom under his rule in a land God himself has chosen for them. It’s literally, “A Journey of Promise.” Our Ladies Fellowship is studying Exodus over the course of this year as preparation for this series.

Now the ‘invitation.’ As part of this series, the Worship Team would like to incorporate stories from Living Water’s Senior Saints in worship…in that space where we often include a “Children’s Message,” we’d substitute a “Stories of Promise” from some of you. We believe our generations have much to learn from one another. It’d be something like a one-on-one interview where a volunteer Senior Saint would answer a couple of “starter” questions like (What’s one promise of God you’ve seen fulfilled in your lifetime? What a promise of God you’d like to see fulfilled before this life ends for you?) and then one or two specific questions related to that day’s theme. We’d always give you the questions in advance so you have time to pray about your answers…and maybe even practice with the “interviewer” for that day.

So…you’re invited. Talk to Philippa or me over the next week or two & we’ll start working out the details. The only requirements…well…you need to be willing to have some fun with this as you share how God’s promises are being kept in your life…AND…well…you need to be older than me by a bit. We’re really wanting our Senior Saints to have a chance to share & declare God’s faithfulness in their lives over time…Psalm 107:43 (NLT) “Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.”

 

Finally…I’ve recently finished reading the book of Acts. By Acts 23 Paul is arrested in Jerusalem having been falsely accused of starting a riot in the Temple & speaking against the Jewish Law. He pleads his case by declaring, “I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!”

Two questions immediately came to mind:

1. On trial for faith in a risen Jesus…What’s the crime? But more importantly…
2. If I were on trial for my faith in the resurrection…Would there be enough evidence to convict? Would I be obviously guilty?

 

I’ll be praying that we’re all guilty of faith in Jesus beyond a reasonable doubt…and you can pray that I’ll be bold in demonstrating & declaring that faith too.

And…if I haven’t said this clearly enough: Thank you!

John