It was great to have such a full church for our Easter Sunday morning service when we could remember Christ's incredible victory over sin and death.  The sunlight streaming through the windows was an added bonus. I was really encouraged on Saturday to read an article by A. N. Wilson in the Daily Mail. He explained how he had lost his Christian faith but how in recent years he has refound it. It was an inspiring testimony. Here is a quote:

"My belief has come about in large measure because of the lives and examples of people I have known - not the famous, not saints, but friends and relations who have lived, and faced death, in the light of the Resurrection story, or in the quiet acceptance that they have a future after they die."

Let us pray that our lives are also used by Christ to draw others to His saving and transforming love.

God Bless

Chris

This new bloggng facility is great but I cannot tell if anyone actually ever reads what I write. Drop me a comment just so I know if there is anyone out there. I know a number of you are reading the best-selling fictional novel, 'The Shack'. It is certainly well worth reading. For those who have gone through periods of intense suffering I think it portrays the compassionate heart of God. I do not agree with every little theological point it makes but I do think there is much that is extremely valuable in what it communicates. I do have an article written about the book by Gordon McDonald which is very helpful for those who would like further reading to ponder. Have you read the book? What did you think?

God Bless

Chris

Fiona and I had a great time visiting Gartstang Free Methodist Church yesterday. It was the first time I had preached there for a while and it was lovely to see so many of our friends again. The children we knew have become almost unrecognisable teenagers. The teenagers we knew are now young parents etc, etc. Inevitably some people we knew well are now with the Lord. How fast life moves on. The recent deaths of Jade Goody and Natasha Richardson remind us how fragile life is and how quickly it can pass. Let us determine to seize the day in God's service.

I don't know whether you watched any of Comic Relief on TV last Friday night. There were some very moving clips showing the plight of those living with the threat of malaria and those left orphaned because of the ravages of AIDS. I was so encouraged to learn that in the middle of a full-blown recession people in the UK gave record amounts to fantastic charitable work. Maybe facing an uncertain future has caused many to appreciate just how much they presently have compared to those living in developing world situations. Let us pray that even despite this difficult financial downturn in the economy God does something amazing in the spiritual lives of our country's population.

It was great to have Tom Green with us last weekend and to have two youth focused services. We are so privileged to have so many gifted young musicians and seeing them upfront morning and evening was inspiring. I was particularly encouraged that so many young people attended the evening service. I am sure it was a real moral booster to those who usually attend the 6.30 service. It was also fantastiic that a couple of people responded to Tom's appeal in the evening service. God is good!

Do not forget that next Tuesday is our Members' Meeting at Church starting at 8pm. I can also give you advanced warning that our AGM will be on June the 30th this year. If you are a member please make it a priority to be at both these meetings. If you are not a member but would be interested to see what goes on you would be very welcome.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

God Bless

Chris

It is brilliant to have the opportunity to write my first ever church blog. I want to say a big thank you to Graham for setting up this fantastic new website.

This coming weekend we have Tom Green, a fulltime youth worker, coming to speak in our morning and evening services. He works in a really tough area of Birmingham. We first met Tom when Fiona and I took a group of young people on the Youth Alpha weekend to the Pioneer Centre. He was one of the BYFC workers running the weekend. The young people took an instant liking to him.

He will be speaking on the Kingdom of God in the morning and the service in the evening will have a strongly evangelistic nature. Please pray that God will really use this weekend in the lives of our young people.

By the way. We live in a really generous area. On Saturday Jon, Rachel, Fiona and I took teams of young people to sainsbury's to do bag packing and raise money for the 2010 trip to Uganda. We raised £812 in five hours.

God Bless

Chris