Inspire
Aspire to inspire before you expire.
Do unto others
This saying is a definition of empathy: treat other people as you want them to treat you. Put yourself in someone else's shoes. How would you like it if you were treated like that?Jesus spoke these words as part of a very demanding piece of teaching, which called his followers to love their enemies and not seek revenge when they were mistreated. The teaching, known as The Sermon on the Mount, has had a profound influence on people such as Francis of Assisi, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King...
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Luke 6:27-31
Barbecue
Despite the wind and rain we had a great time. Thank you to Simon for holding the umbrella while we cooked. A good chin wag and great food was had by all. See you next month at Ashton Court for a picnic. Hopefully we will have our one day of summer then.
July 28th 2007
Prayer for the Day
This day in 1750 saw the death of one of the greatest composers of all time, Johann Sebastian Bach. The Japanese conductor Masaaki Suzuki is a world-famous authority on Bach and founder of the Bach Collegium in Tokyo. Together they will be performing the Mass in G major at the proms next week. Suzuki also sees himself as a missionary. "I am spreading Bach's message, which is a biblical one," he says. "Bach's music is the fifth Gospel."
Suzuki makes sure his musicians, mostly non-Christians, have a deep understanding of the spiritual foundation of their music. He is the driving force behind the current Bach revival which has seen large numbers of Japanese turning to Christianity as a result of encountering the music of Bach.
It's not only Bach's overtly sacred texts that have this impact. The theology is written into the music. Take the Saint Anne Fugue, for example; a triple fugue based on the hymn tune "O God our help in ages past". The interwoven lines of music demonstrate with mathematical complexity, Bach's understanding of God, three persons in one substance. It's a notion almost impossible to describe in words - but Bach demonstrates it in the music. Truth takes many forms. It's the business and the calling of scientists and historians but also of artists, composers, writers and broadcasters.
We pray today for all who deal in ideas and seek to express truth.
For artists and their audiences, academics and students,
For politicians and for journalists; writers and broadcasters,
We pray that there may be respect for the truth
And a freedom that comes from living by it. Amen
BBC4
Den of Thieves
Wall Street, tax offices, Enron and other corrupt businesses have all been called dens of thieves. It's not flattering, of course, to have your business compared to a hangout for criminals and thugs.
The phrase owes its popularity to a colourful attack by Jesus on the street-sellers who crowded the streets close to the temple in Jerusalem. Expecting to find the temple a place of prayer, Jesus was scandalised to see hucksters ripping off the pilgrims with over-priced goods. He made some powerful enemies when he overturned the sellers' tables and told them...
Is it not written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations"? But you have made it a den of thieves."
Mark 11:17
26th July 1847: Liberian independence proclaimed
The Republic of Liberia, formerly a colony of the American Colonization Society, declares its independence. Under pressure from Britain, the United States hesitantly accepted Liberian autonomy, making the West African nation the first independent democratic republic in African history. A constitution modeled after the U.S. Constitution was approved, and in 1848 Joseph Jenkins Roberts was elected Liberia's first president. Liberia was founded by former African-American slaves in 1821, and by the end of the American Civil War in 1865, some 15,000 had settled there. With the backing of the United States, Liberia kept its independence though the turmoil of the 20th century. A costly civil war began in 1989 and lasted until 1997, when Charles Taylor was elected Liberian president in free elections. His administration has been criticized for supporting the rebels in neighboring Sierra Leone.
Matthew 5
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. ... If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
Matthew 5:44,46-47
Interesting Facts
1. It is impossible to lick your elbow.
2. A crocodile can’t stick its tongue out.
3. A shrimp’s heart is in its head.
4. In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period of 80 years, no one reported a single case where an ostrich buried its head in the sand.
5. It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.
6. A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.
7. More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call.
8. Horses can’t vomit.
9. Sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.
10. If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die. If you keep your eyes open by force, they can pop out.
11. Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.
12. Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
13. If the government has no knowledge of aliens, then why does Title 14, Section 1211 of the Code of Federal regulations, implemented on July 16, 1969, make it illegal for U.S. citizens to have any contact with extraterrestrials or their vehicles?
14. In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.
15. A duck’s quack doesn’t echo, and no one knows why.
16. 23% of all photocopier faults worldwide are caused by people sitting on them and photocopying their butts.
17. Most lipstick contains fish scales.
18. Like fingerprints, everyone’s tongue print is different.
19. Over 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow.
BBQ and Hoe Down Saturday 28th July
July 28th - 6:00pm - BBQ and Hoe Down - Barbecue food provided. Please bring a salad and your dancing shoes.
hoe·down /ˈhoʊˌdaʊn/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hoh-doun]
–noun 1. a community dancing party typically featuring folk and square dances accompanied by lively hillbilly tunes played on the fiddle.
2. the hillbilly or country music typical of a hoedown.
bar·be·cue /ˈbɑrbɪˌkyu/ Pronunciation Key - [bahr-bi-kyoo]
–noun 1. pieces of beef, fowl, fish, or the like, roasted over an open hearth, esp. when basted in a barbecue sauce.
2. a framework, as a grill or a spit, or a fireplace for cooking meat or vegetables over an open fire.
3. a dressed steer, lamb, or other animal, roasted whole.
4. a meal, usually in the open air and often as a political or social gathering, at which meats are roasted over an open hearth or pit.
–verb (used with object)
5. to broil or roast whole or in large pieces over an open fire, on a spit or grill, often seasoning with vinegar, spices, salt, and pepper.
6. to cook (sliced or diced meat or fish) in a highly seasoned sauce.
–verb (used without object)
7. to cook by barbecuing or to entertain at a barbecue: If the weather's nice, we'll barbecue in the backyard.
Also, barbeque, bar-b-que, bbq.
[Origin: 1655–65; < Sp barbacoa < Arawak (perh. Taino) barbacoa a raised frame of sticks]
Man Walks on the Moon - 20th July 1969
1969: Armstrong walks on moonAt 10:56 p.m. EDT, American astronaut Neil Armstrong, nearly 240,000 miles from Earth, speaks these words to millions listening and watching on television at home: 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.' A moment later, he stepped off the lunar landing module Eagle, and became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. Another astronaut, Edwin Buzz Aldrin, joined him a few minutes later, and together they took photographs of the terrain, planted a U.S. flag, ran a few simple scientific tests, and, the next day, departed. The astronauts left behind a plaque that read: 'Here men from the planet Earth first set foot on the Moon--July 1969 A.D.--We came in peace for all mankind.'
Thought for the Day - 18 July - Radio 4
Rhidian Brook
Last week a friend from Kenya came to stay with us. She had never been out of Africa before. One morning she appeared with three beautiful baskets and asked where the nearest market was in order to sell them. I explained we had no such market but that we'd ask some neighbours if they would buy them. It wasn't difficult persuading them. The fact that the money was going direct to source, the craftsmanship of the product, and that they had engagement with its maker helped make for a quick sale.
Regrettably, in this age of mass consumption, we rarely have connection with the manufacturers of the goods we are purchasing. Some retailers have tried to address this (photographs of coffee producers are an good example of trying to put faces to things) but usually the human provenance of a product - the narrative behind it - is hidden or unknown. The purchase remains a disembodied, impersonal transaction.
A story this week highlights the consequences of the dis-connect between the things we consume and the people that make them. One of Britain's largest retail chains has allegedly had its Bangladeshi garment workers working on 80 hour week shifts for 4p an hour, in order to make the cheap clothes that we enjoy buying from its supermarkets. Some people, it seems, are paying a heavy price for our want of a bargain.
The market may help create the illusion of a consequence-free purchase, (as long as the dismal story behind the making of a T-shirt is out of sight, it's out of mind) but the reality is that the purchase binds me in a complex chain of moral and spiritual relationships; and if the cheapness of the product cheapens the life of the person who makes it then the relationship is already imbalanced and the purchase immoral.
For as long as we want goods at lower prices and supermarkets seek ways of lowering costs, someone else will take the hit. Our quality of life must be questioned if it's built on what looks like the slow suffocation of someone else's. What we spend our money on and how we treat people in that process is a moral and spiritual issue. The prophet Jeremiah actually equates knowing God with our willingness to defend the cause of the needy versus setting our hearts on oppression and extortion.
The market is not the enemy - it's the place we have to work these things out; indeed it could actually play a redemptive role in this (the word redemption even come from the marketplace). By helping us engage with the people behind the things we buy, the supermarkets - with their massive resources and reach - could do a great deal to make this possible. As well as ensuring the rights of their workers - the living wage; rest from work - they could be creative in helping connect the manufacture to the consumer.
Think how different our consumption might be if the things we bought could tell their stories. Let's use the communication technology we have to hear the stories of the things we buy, let's see the faces of the people that make them. As well as asking what the carbon footprint of a product is - let's see the human fingerprints that got it here. I may not meet the person who made my t-shirt but at least I can acknowledge their presence in the market place - and their dignity in it.
Jumble Sale - Saturday 11th August
Church of the Nazarene Knowle Park Bristol, just down Broad Walk from the shopping centre 10- 12 - Great morning to shop and have a free cup of tea or coffee and some cake. Cake and goods donations warmly appreciated. Volunteers welcome!
Thank you to everyone for last Saturday's sale, even though we were a bit short staffed. Quite a few new faces, hopefully we will see you on Sunday!
Counting the Cost
Counting the cost is all about good planning. You work out how much you'll need to pay and whether you have the money on you before you get into the taxi. Otherwise, things could get awkward at the other end of the journey.
Here's how Jesus put it. He was telling people to count the cost before deciding to become his follower, because it was going to be personally costly...
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it – lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, "This man began to build and was not able to finish"?
Luke 14:28-30
The Home Guard
On this day in History:
1940
World War II: Britain faces the threat of a German invasion by forming the Home Guard - Unpaid force formed in Britain in May 1940 to repel the expected German invasion, and known until July 1940 as the Local Defence Volunteers. It consisted of men aged 17–65 who had not been called up, formed part of the armed forces of the Crown, and was subject to military law. Over 2 million strong in 1944, it was disbanded on 31 December 1945, but revived in 1951, then placed on a reserve basis in 1955. It ceased activity in 1957.
Its members worked at their normal occupations and undertook military training in their spare time. In 1940 they were armed with a motley collection of shotguns and privately‐owned weapons, but by 1942 they were a well‐trained body liberally provided with automatic weapons and light artillery.
Why God uses cracked pots
During an interview this week I was asked why so many of the heroes of the Bible had serious flaws. My answer was simple. That’s all God has to work with. All the perfect people are in heaven. The only ones on earth are the folks with serious weaknesses. The talent pool has always been pretty thin when it comes to moral perfection. So God works with sinners because that’s all he has to work with. In heaven we will all be vastly improved–perfected by God’s grace. But until then, he uses some pretty ornery people who fall short in many ways–and he does some amazing things through them.
If God chose only well-rounded people with no character flaws, some of the credit would inevitably go to the people and not to the Lord. By choosing flawed people with a bad past, a shaky present and an uncertain future, God alone gets the glory when they accomplish amazing things by his power.
And best of all, since God delights to use clay pots instead of high-dollar china (2 Corinthians 4:7), there is plenty of hope for you and me. We’re not all we’re cracked up to be, and most of us are cracked in more than one place, which makes us excellent candidates for the grace of God. That’s good news, especially for those clay pots with a few extra cracks.
Dr. Ray Pritchard, Author, Speaker, President of Keep Believing Ministries
Jumble / Table Top Sale Sat 14th July 10-12
Great items to buy, great FREE Coffee or tea, great cakes and of course great fellowship. Volunteers and goods always welcome. Hope to see you there.
Mission Dinner and Concert - Saturday 7th July
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| Mission Evening - Saturday 7th July |
Click on the album cover for pictures of a fantastic evening! Thank you to all those that made it so special.
07/07/2007 - Let us not forget.
Fifty-two people were killed in the four bombs which exploded in London on 7 July 2005. More than 770 people were injured, countless more had their lives and families torn apart by this tragedy. Please pray for all those affected.
Mission Dinner and Concert - Saturday 7th July
There is to be a mission evening with dinner and entertainment. Starting at 6pm with dinner followed at 7:30 by singing, poetry and a childrens play. Tickets will be £5.00 for adults and £2.00 for children (aged 7-14). Anyone with entertainment skills please volunteer and contributions of side dish food would be very much appreciated.
Royal Army Chaplains Department
The British army today has more chaplains on active service than at any time since World War II. Thanks to a recruiting drive launched by army, navy and air force in 2005, there are about 280 chaplains in the armed forces (2007 figures). Twelve chaplains serve the approximately 7000 British troops in Iraq.
No army chaplain is permitted to carry or use weapons.
The Royal Army Chaplains' Department is based at Bagshot House. All recruited chaplains in the British services are Christian (as of 2007), but the armed forces retain civilian chaplains to care for their Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish and Muslim recruits.
My job as a padre - as the Army refers to its priests, chaplains and so on - is not to oil the wheels of war but to help the humanity caught up in it. We do wear fatigues, but the fact that we do not carry weapons is symbolic of our peaceful role.
Clinton Langston, army chaplain
The U.S. armed forces have 1400 chaplains, all Christian except for about 30 rabbis and 15 imams (2003 figures).
Very Busy Day in History - July 4th
1948
In Britain, the beginning of the NHS - the National Health Service.
1946I
ndependence for the Philippine Islands from the United States of America.
1943
Polish prime minister Wladyslaw Sikorski, leader of the Polish Government in exile during World War II, is killed in an aircrash.
1919
In Toledo, Ohio, American boxer Jack Dempsey beats Jess Willard to become heavyweight champion of the world. Williard is knocked down 7 times before retiring in the third round.
1906
Britain, France and Italy guarantee the independence of Ethiopia.
1904
Start of construction work to build the Panama Canal.
1903
USA President Theodore Roosevelt inaugurates the Pacific Communications Cable by sending a message around the world.
1892
James Keir Hardie is elected MP for Holytown, Lanarkshire to become the first socialist to win seat in British parliament.
1884
The Statue of Liberty is presented to America by the people of France.
1881
American outlaw William H Bonney, known as Billy the Kid, is shot dead by lawman Pat Garrett.
1863
American Civil War: Union forces defeat the Confederates at the Battle of Vicksburg.
1848
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish their Communist Manifesto.
1840
The Cunard Shipping Line begins its first Atlantic crossing when the paddle steamer Britannia sails from Liverpool en route to Halifax. The voyage takes 14 days.
1829
First regular scheduled bus service starts in London - a horse drawn service between Marylebone Road and the Bank of England.
1776
American commander George Washington signs the Declaration of Independence during the war with the British. July 4th is now recognised as American Independence Day.
Holiday at Home
For the young at heart, 60 Plus.
Tues 28th Aug to Thursday 30th August. Helpers needed for these days please. Times are from 9:30am to 3:30pm, there is a list in the curch foyer for volunteers, please state on the list when you can help. Preperation meeting next week to discuss in further detail.
Baptisms this Sunday 8th July
We will have a baptism service on Sunday evening at the Baptist Church on the Wells Road at 6:30pm. Please join us in this great celebration of rebirth.
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