Wednesday 18th March 2020
No fancy title – just a date, that’s because I intend to write something new every Wednesday and Sunday, so it will be easy for you to track what you have and haven’t read by simply heading it with a date.
I hope you are feeling well, and that those of you who aren’t encouraged to go out are finding ways of filling your time. I continue to enjoy worshipping in song with the help of YouTube and if you are able to go to https://www.thefuelcast.com you will be able to find a whole library of 3 minute inspirational videos.
I have set the alarm on my phone to ring at 7am / 1pm / 7pm when I shall pause for just a few moments of prayer – particularly focussing on us who meet at the Baptist church on Turves Green. May I encourage you to also pause on at least one of those times each day and also pray for individuals within the church – top marks if you can pause at all 3 times of each day. Do pass on prayer requests to the church leader who contacted you and then those requests should make their way via me to everyone who regularly attends church. A more anonymous version of the prayer request will appear on the website. I have already received some requests and 2 people have volunteered to do whatever they can to help others - shopping etc.. so also pass on any needs you have to your contact leader and we will see what we can do.
We have yet to encounter a Sunday- without-church – a very strange event for many of us! For this first non-church Sunday there is a visual way in which we can feel united – united not just with everyone at Longbridge Baptist, but uniting us with Christians around the nation. It is suggested that everyone put a lighted candle in their windows at 7pm as a visible symbol of the light of life, Jesus Christ - the source of our Hope.
Yesterday I helped Tez put up the cross on the lawn next to church, perhaps some of you feel reckless enough to join me at 6:45pm on Sunday evening to spell out HOPE in tea-lights on the lawn in front of the cross. The area around that cross can become a visual focal point for us – and for the local community. We can do that by being creative and surrounding the cross with verses of scripture, song lyrics, poems, acrostics on the word HOPE and perhaps even some art work – but not your personal prayer requests (see above about those) - we surround the cross with words (& pictures) which can encourage anyone who stops to read them and so create a place where any of us can come along at any time and be inspired.
Mike and Andrea have been inspired by Psalm 91 which starts with these words:
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’.”
Read the rest of the psalm and recognise afresh how much God cares for you.
I will write again on Sunday - Stephen