Breaking the Silence
Dear friends,
Its good to be back with you all. Thank you for your support for your churches, and your prayers, during my time away. Am I changed? Only by silence. Is there going to be anything new? That depends upon the Holy Spirit, and our response to God’s love. We know that our communities are shaken, and uncertain, and that there is a difficult winter ahead. We’ve seen the garden that is our nation rocked by devastating storms. Great trees have fallen, our shores have no defences against the waves and vandals have set fire to the barns. Confidence is in short supply. But there is a welcome in our fellowship, and courage and hope that can be nurtured into life by our faith. The promises of God are rock solid, for tomorrow as much as yesterday and today.
Worship Services for Sunday 9th October
9.30am Morning Prayer at St John’s, Stoke Row
11am Holy Communion at St Peter and Paul, Checkendon
Midweek zoom service: Wednesday Evensong at 5.00pm 410 935 129
Other service options for elsewhere in the Team can be found on the Langtree Team Ministry Churches website. Do join us for worship either in person, or online, or both. Don’t forget that you now can support both Checkendon and Stoke Row churches via dedicated and secure online card donation pages. Just click on the link. It is very easy! Thank you for your support.
New! Please also like and follow Checkendon Church on Facebook, and Instagram.
A Rock to cling to.
The parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7 illustrates two possible responses to disasters. Both builders have troubles (rain and flood) that threaten their lives. One acts, preparing for the worst, by building with brick and stone. The other acts as if the worst could never happen to him (or her) by not preparing at all. In the parable, the worst happens to both builders, and only one is saved. Christ encourages us to build our lives upon his words, and not on the things that will be swept away. It is possible that Jesus had Psalm 18 in mind when he told this parable. What do you think? Here are the first few verses. If you read the rest of the Psalm, does any other piece of Old Testament writing come to mind – especially in how God is depicted? I look forward to seeing you all again over the weeks ahead.
Every blessing, Revd Kevin Davies
Psalm 18: v1-6
1 I love you, Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. 4 The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. 5 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. 6 In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
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