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Hope
December 1, 2008
Dear Friends,
I listened recently to a podcast by Nelson Searcy called, “How to lead your Church during the financial crisis”. I was drawn to the title because we are aware of the ripple effect from the world financial events of the last few weeks and how as individuals and as communities we may be affected.
You may or may not agree with all Nelson says, but I will share the outline, which was based on the word HOPE (A word that we have heard a lot of during this year with Hope 08) As he points out “Christians are best in the world at offering hope”
H – Help reframe what we are hearing
O – Offer Tools and Faith to each other
P – Promote Generosity
E – Encourage Evangelism
Reframing what we hear is a very interesting thought in the light of the amount of information and variety of views that are expressed through the media. As always the invitation is to see our present situation (be it the Financial Crisis or any other matter) through the eyes of faith and the perspective of the eternal truths about God that we proclaim, not least the way in which He will draw close to help us if we ask Him. Offering tools may mean looking beyond our immediate local fellowship to collective services such as Debt Counseling but it certainly would include how we use our giftings and experience to help one another. With have many great resources of people amongst us. Promoting Generosity is about keeping faith in God and Encouraging Evangelism includes the understanding that at times of difficulty there may be many people who are more open to hear the Good News of Jesus, that does offer hope within and beyond the immediate difficulties.
There will be those amongst us who have been more immediately affected by recent financial events but the challenge is to all of us to apply the eternal truths of our faith to our current circumstances. It might not be a bad thing to pray the Lord’s Prayer every day and let each line speak to us for that day.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Your Name
Your Kingdom come; Your will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen
With warmest Christian Greetings
God Bless you,
Kath
PS Last month I recommended “The Shack” as a good book to read and share with others. Lots have folk have been reading and Anna Gunter wondered about a “Book Group Session” to talk about it – see Anna if you are interested (01959 524109)
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