Goldfish
Two goldfish were in their tank. One turns to the other and says, 'You man the guns, I'll drive.'
Lord Herbert - Crossing Bridges
"He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven." - Lord Herbert
Salt of the Earth
"He's the salt of the earth," as the saying goes. It's like saying that 
someone is good, reliable and absolutely genuine.Jesus paid this compliment to his disciples. Since salt was used at the time to purify food and bring out its flavour, he seems to be saying that his followers do something invaluable in the world they live in. Here's how he put it...
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
Matthew 5:13
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle park bristol bs4 2rd
Crusader Choir - Wednesday 14th May 2008
Knowle Park Church of the Nazarene
is proud to present
Crusader Choir
Northwest Nazarene University
Nampa ID USA
Wednesday 14th May 2008
7:30pm
Great Minds - Great Hearts - Great Futures
!GREAT VOICES!
Adam and Eve Start a Budget -Fitting!
"In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has."
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle park bristol bs4 2rd
The one that didn't get away but did!
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Three Hong Kong anglers thought they had hit the big time when they sold their rare giant fish for HK$20,000 ($2,560), but this one got away!
The 85-kg Chinese Bahaba, also known as a giant yellow croaker, is believed to be the largest caught in Hong Kong in 10 years, Hong Kong's Apple Daily newspaper reported.
One of the anglers, a housewife called Mickey, was photographed lying beside the 1.68-metre (five-and-a-half-ft) fish after it had been hauled ashore, following a titanic 90-minute struggle.
The trio quickly sold the fish to a local fisherman for HK$20,000 thinking they'd hit the jackpot, but without realizing the croaker's true value, the paper reported.
The fisherman subsequently sold the rare giant fish -- which is highly prized for its costly swim bladder or fish maw -- to a seafood restaurant for HK$580,000.
The speculation didn't stop there. The fish was resold to a mainland Chinese buyer for over HK$1 million ($126,000), the newspaper reported.
The giant yellow croaker has become critically endangered and few survive to maturity given overfishing.
George Washington Carver - Nature
I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.
George Washington Carver
Ideas for the next table top sale - forget the coffee and cakes, bring on the peanuts and beer!
A vicar is to apply for a drinks licence so he can sell wine and beer at his small village church.
The Reverend Geraint ap Iorwerth could be made licensee of St Peter ad Vincula Church in Pennal, near Machynlleth, close to the Powys-Gwynedd border.
He joked that there were plans to serve more than just spirits, though, with lager and wine on the menu too.
Mr ap Iorwerth said he might also open a bar with proper pub-style pumps in a new church cafe in the future.
But at the moment the licence is needed to sell and serve drinks at parish functions such as concerts, weddings or christenings.
The vicar will go to magistrates' court next month to apply for the licence.
Mr ap Iorwerth said: "It is quite common for larger churches and cathedrals to apply for a licence, and we want to make sure we are within the law.
 |   I would love to think that at certain times of the year people could come down in the evening to have a drink  The Reverend Geraint ap Iorwerth |
"We have plans to serve lager and red and white wine - that is what the average punter wants."
He added: "We also want to serve drinks at a cafe at the rear of the church.
"We have also received requests from people planning weddings who would like drinks and canapés after their service and before the reception.
"It would be nice to serve drinks at concerts, Christmas and New Year's Eve too.
"A small bar is a possibility. I would love to think that at certain times of the year people could come down in the evening to have a drink."
'Sharing bread'
Earlier this month, the Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan told a conference in Llandudno that churches should "think creatively" about facilities.
The Church in Wales said St Peter ad Vincula Church had a gallery cafe so the licence would enable it to serve alcohol to customers.
"The Church in Wales welcomes initiatives such as this which encourage people to come to churches and to see them as places where they can relax, socialise and share food and drink," said a spokeswoman.
"Indeed, sharing bread and wine is an essential part of the Christian ministry.
"We see alcohol, taken in moderation and used responsibly, as something to enjoy with others."
But Carol Bodza of Glansychan stores and off-licence and Susan Crossley of the Riverside Hotel in Pennal, oppose Mr ap Iorwerth's plans.
Mrs Bodza said: "We have no objection to the cafe, but I don't see why he (Mr ap Iorwerth) needs to apply for a licence to sell alcohol.
"Both our off-licence and the hotel is less than 100 yards away from the church and we feel this could affect our business."
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle park bristol bs4 2rdThe Lord's Prayer
A salesman from KFC walked up to the Pope and offers him a million dollars if he would change "The Lord's Prayer" from "give us this day our daily bread" to
"give us this day our daily chicken." The Pope refused his offer.
Two weeks later, the man offered the pope 10 million dollars to change it from "give us this day our daily bread" to "give us this day our daily chicken" and again the Pope refused the man's generous offer. Another week later, the man offered the Pope 20 million dollars and finally the Pope accepted. The following day, the Pope said to all his officials, "I have some good news and some bad news. 'The good news is, that we have just received a check for 20 million dollars. The bad news is, we lost the Hovis account!'''
church of the nazarene knowle park bristol bs4 2rd
Number 10 to fly the flag today - St George's Day
Gordon Brown will mark St George's Day tomorrow by flying the flag of St
George over Downing Street.
It will be the first time in recent years that the flag has been raised at Number 10 to mark the annual occasion.
Downing Street has two flagpoles, and the red-and-white banner will fly alongside the union flag.
Other UK government buildings in England that have two flagpoles will also be encouraged to fly the St George's flag. Where just one flagpole is available, the union flag – which takes precedence over national flags – should be flown.
Brown will also fly the Scottish saltire on St Andrew's Day and the Welsh dragon on St David's Day. Northern Ireland does not have an official national flag to fly on St Patrick's Day.
The move follows a review of flag-flying practices ordered by Brown when he became prime minister.
Downing Street said that, in accordance with protocol, the union flag would fly on the "superior" pole, deemed to be the one closest to Buckingham Palace.
Brown's spokesman said: "The prime minister's view is that of course we should celebrate our Britishness, but celebrating our Britishness does not mean we cannot also celebrate our Englishness, Scottishness, Welshness or Northern Irishness."
The last time Downing Street raised the flag of St George was during the 2006 football World Cup.
church of the nazarene knowle park bristol bs4 2rdA.W. Tozer - Wanting to know God!
Modern mankind can go anywhere, do everything and be completely curious about the universe. But only a rare person now and then is curious enough to want to know God.
A.W. Tozer
God works in mysterious ways!
PATNA, India (Reuters) - Hundreds of villagers have flocked to a 
remote Indian village to see a baby girl who was saved by stray dogs after she was abandoned in a mound of mud by her mother, officials said on Tuesday.
Villagers in the eastern state of Bihar saved the newborn on the weekend after they saw three dogs barking near a baby covered with mud.
"The dogs removed the soil around and began to bark and the baby started crying which drew attention of the local villagers," Ram Narayan Sahani, a senior government official, said on Tuesday from Bihar's Samastipur district.
"The girl is crying but is safe in the lap of a childless couple who have adopted her."
Police said they were looking for the girl's mother, who they think had left the girl to die.
Female foeticide, though illegal in India, is widespread as boys are traditionally preferred to girls as breadwinners, and families have to pay huge dowries to marry off their daughters.
The United Nations says an estimated 2,000 unborn girls are illegally aborted every day in India.
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle park bristol bs4 2rd
Christians face persecution in many popular tourist destinations.
Found this article this morning and thought it might be of interest. It is not something one would necesssarily think about when booking a holiday but then, as a christian, wouldn't you go and talk to people there anyway? Julian
See the list where christians are persecuted the most
The Article
Open Doors has urged travellers from the UK to be aware of persecution against the Christian community in their favourite tourist destinations, including India.
The organisation stressed the need to raise awareness among Brits of persecution in India and to support fellow believers in the country, recommending that they write letters of concern to MPs.
Eddie Lyle, chief executive of Open Doors UK and Ireland, said: “‘Sun, sea, sand and persecution’ would be an appropriate adage here. The image many of us have in our minds of these gorgeous locations is one of sandy beaches, palm trees and exotic cultural treasures. But the reality for those people living there wishing to express their faith openly and responsibly is very different from how the brochures portray things.”
He added: “Christians commonly experience discrimination in the workplace and in education, are abused physically and emotionally, cannot hold church services, are thrown into jail and — all too often — murdered.”
Open Doors is not asking Christians in the UK to boycott holidays to India but instead requests them to be aware of the issues and contribute to the saving and serving of the persecuted in the country.
A spokesman for the charity told The Telegraph that an estimated 200 million Christians around the world were facing varying degrees of persecution.
Steve Gaukroger, chairman of Open Doors' council of reference, said: “These days we routinely make decisions about important ethical issues such as the impact food-miles have on global warming. Given the appalling ways that our Christian brothers and sisters are being treated in many places around the world, we need to apply similar criteria to our holiday destinations, too," he was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.
“In the largest democracy in the world, seven states now have anti-conversion laws which are being increasingly used by Hindu ultra-nationalists to harass Christians."
“Reports of threats against pastors, false arrests, beatings and even murder have been increasing, now averaging one incident every three days. Many of the Dalits, the ‘untouchable’ caste of Hinduism, are converting to Christianity. This is one reason why Hindu nationalists are targeting Christians.”
North Korea heads the list of places where Christians face “severe persecution”, followed by Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Maldives. India ranks 30 in the list of 50 offenders; Bhutan 7th; Pakistan 17th.
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle park bristol bs4 2rd
Ephesians 4:29
Don't use bad language. Say only what is good and helpful to those you are talking to, and what will give them a blessing.
Ephesians 4:29
10 things we didn't know.... until last week!
1. About 86% of fathers attend the birth of their children.
2. There is more crime in Glasgow than New York.
3. Vitamins can be bad for you.
4. To help break the bubbly when a new ship is launched, P&O sometimes scores the bottle with a glass-cutter.
5. The brain makes some decisions 10 seconds before they become conscious thought.
6. About 42% of hay fever sufferers think they have a cold.
7. Smells can drift across the Channel.
8. Belly fat creates more fat.
9. Scientists can control the brains of flies.
10. Bowleggedness is called genuvarum.
courtesy of the beeb
Nazarene News - Polish church reaches women through Glosik friendship circle
At the end of February, the Church of the Nazarene in Poznan, Poland, held the first meeting of a new women’s group, a friendship circle called Glosik, which means “Little Voice” in Polish. Emma Wright, the director of the church’s English as a Second Language program, and Rhonda Tustin, missionary to Poland, 
came up with the idea to help new women feel welcome at the Poznan ministry center. Wright and Tustin sent out 30 invitations to women they knew, but who had not been connected to the church at all. In an attempt to make the environment as friendly as possible, the women started with a makeover on the center itself, decorating with special tablecloths, new lighting, candles, and butterfly accents. They ordered a special cake and made chocolate and cheese fondue. “We were all very nervous, but we had many prayers from so many places,” said Tustin. “I knew that people in Texas, Ireland, Oregon, Idaho, and even Albania were praying for this event.”All the hard work and prayers paid off when 20 women showed up for the first meeting. A cosmetic artist taught a makeup lesson, and Tustin spoke for a short time on the subject of inner beauty.“When I finished, I noticed that many were teary-eyed, and I knew that God had been speaking to their hearts,” said Tustin. “There was such a presence of the Holy Spirit in the room, and I think that each of the women felt something was happening.”Each woman left her contact information and asked to be included in the next event. One of the women who attended the event asked Wright about the purpose of the group. Wright told her, “Simply friendship!” “That is brilliant,” the woman said. “I don’t think anyone has ever heard of this or done this before in Poland!” She went on to explain that she has two small boys in a very small apartment, and she likes to sing when she is walking around the house. When she does, however, her boys will frown at her and say, “Stop that Mommy, we are trying to do PlayStation.” Wright told her if she joins Glosik that she can sing as much as she likes, and no one will ever tell her to stop. “The enemy has fought us on so many levels and yet this event was a big win,” said Tustin. “God was in the room, and it made all the difference.” The center will begin offering Faith Discovery Groups soon as a way of connecting this secular group to the church body.
came up with the idea to help new women feel welcome at the Poznan ministry center. Wright and Tustin sent out 30 invitations to women they knew, but who had not been connected to the church at all. In an attempt to make the environment as friendly as possible, the women started with a makeover on the center itself, decorating with special tablecloths, new lighting, candles, and butterfly accents. They ordered a special cake and made chocolate and cheese fondue. “We were all very nervous, but we had many prayers from so many places,” said Tustin. “I knew that people in Texas, Ireland, Oregon, Idaho, and even Albania were praying for this event.”All the hard work and prayers paid off when 20 women showed up for the first meeting. A cosmetic artist taught a makeup lesson, and Tustin spoke for a short time on the subject of inner beauty.“When I finished, I noticed that many were teary-eyed, and I knew that God had been speaking to their hearts,” said Tustin. “There was such a presence of the Holy Spirit in the room, and I think that each of the women felt something was happening.”Each woman left her contact information and asked to be included in the next event. One of the women who attended the event asked Wright about the purpose of the group. Wright told her, “Simply friendship!” “That is brilliant,” the woman said. “I don’t think anyone has ever heard of this or done this before in Poland!” She went on to explain that she has two small boys in a very small apartment, and she likes to sing when she is walking around the house. When she does, however, her boys will frown at her and say, “Stop that Mommy, we are trying to do PlayStation.” Wright told her if she joins Glosik that she can sing as much as she likes, and no one will ever tell her to stop. “The enemy has fought us on so many levels and yet this event was a big win,” said Tustin. “God was in the room, and it made all the difference.” The center will begin offering Faith Discovery Groups soon as a way of connecting this secular group to the church body.CH Spurgeon - Cross Bearers
There are no crown wearers in heaven, who were not cross bearers on earth
C.H. Spurgeon
Ben Stein's 'Expelled'
As the pro-intelligent design documentary “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” launched full throttle into over 1,000 theateres across the US Friday, its producers are no doubt feeling a strong sense of anticipation and anxiety.
“Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” starring actor and former presidential speech writer Ben Stein, is an in-depth investigation of teachers, professors, and researchers who are mocked and threatened with expulsion by an elitist scientific establishment that punishes the scientific proponents of intelligent design because they reject some of the claims of Darwin’s theory of evolution.
The film has generated fierce reactions and attacks from the moment of its conception, according to its producers.
In a series of incidents last month, producers grappled with what they described as both an intentional bootleg distribution campaign designed to wash away the film’s value, and the “crashing” of a pre-screening by two vocal atheist scientists.
And after the most recent wave of attacks – an accusation of copyright infringement and a series of elaborate attacks on the internet – producers have cried of an intentional campaign to discredit and destroy the film.
Despite the attacks, however, Executive Producer Walt Ruloff said that he would not be deterred by what he described as groups of zealot-like scientists unwilling to allow for civil debates on Darwinism.
“We certainly will not allow a small group of self-appointed gatekeepers to infringe our rights of free speech and our obligation to expose them for what they are - namely, intellectual thugs unwilling to accept any dissent from Darwinian orthodoxy,” he said, according to a statement.
Logan Craft, chairman and executive producer of the film, also gave an upbeat commentary, adding that the production team would not be silenced.
"Opponents of our film are attempting to interfere with its important message,” he said.
“As the movie documents, similar tactics are being used across the country against many of the researchers, scientists, and professors who want to engage in free debate within science but have inadequate resources to challenge the Establishment. However, we do have the platform to confront the 'thought police,' and we will work tirelessly to open the doors of free speech and inquiry," he added.
“Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” starring actor and former presidential speech writer Ben Stein, is an in-depth investigation of teachers, professors, and researchers who are mocked and threatened with expulsion by an elitist scientific establishment that punishes the scientific proponents of intelligent design because they reject some of the claims of Darwin’s theory of evolution.
The film has generated fierce reactions and attacks from the moment of its conception, according to its producers.
In a series of incidents last month, producers grappled with what they described as both an intentional bootleg distribution campaign designed to wash away the film’s value, and the “crashing” of a pre-screening by two vocal atheist scientists.
And after the most recent wave of attacks – an accusation of copyright infringement and a series of elaborate attacks on the internet – producers have cried of an intentional campaign to discredit and destroy the film.
Despite the attacks, however, Executive Producer Walt Ruloff said that he would not be deterred by what he described as groups of zealot-like scientists unwilling to allow for civil debates on Darwinism.
“We certainly will not allow a small group of self-appointed gatekeepers to infringe our rights of free speech and our obligation to expose them for what they are - namely, intellectual thugs unwilling to accept any dissent from Darwinian orthodoxy,” he said, according to a statement.
Logan Craft, chairman and executive producer of the film, also gave an upbeat commentary, adding that the production team would not be silenced.
"Opponents of our film are attempting to interfere with its important message,” he said.
“As the movie documents, similar tactics are being used across the country against many of the researchers, scientists, and professors who want to engage in free debate within science but have inadequate resources to challenge the Establishment. However, we do have the platform to confront the 'thought police,' and we will work tirelessly to open the doors of free speech and inquiry," he added.
— - Ephesians 2:8-9 - —
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.
— Ephesians 2:8-9 —
Pilgrim's Progress?
BERLIN (Reuters) - Police in Germany were shocked to find a man running down a major highway pulling a three-wheeled trailer -- but even 
more surprised to learn he was a Polish pilgrim on a 3,000 km (1,800 mile) trek.
Motorists near Coburg in Bavaria saw the man towing a load with a rod attached to his back and called police.
"Officers' initial astonishment quickly turned into admiration," a police statement said on Tuesday.
After questioning the man, police discovered he was a devout Roman Catholic Pole on his way home from a European pilgrimage that had taken him as far as Portugal.
Inside a converted roof luggage box, which also served as a bivouac, the 35-year-old was carrying all he needed for the journey, police said. After inspecting the vehicle, officers declared it roadworthy and sent him on his way.
more surprised to learn he was a Polish pilgrim on a 3,000 km (1,800 mile) trek.Motorists near Coburg in Bavaria saw the man towing a load with a rod attached to his back and called police.
"Officers' initial astonishment quickly turned into admiration," a police statement said on Tuesday.
After questioning the man, police discovered he was a devout Roman Catholic Pole on his way home from a European pilgrimage that had taken him as far as Portugal.
Inside a converted roof luggage box, which also served as a bivouac, the 35-year-old was carrying all he needed for the journey, police said. After inspecting the vehicle, officers declared it roadworthy and sent him on his way.
Welcoming the stranger not optional! (but not always easy either)
"Migration is a fact of life. It is as much an instinct to survive as it is an inevitable consequence of globalisation. We can neither turn our backs on it, nor control it," declared participants at a 15-16 April Public Hearing on Migration and the Changing Ecclesial Landscape in Beirut, Lebanon.
"Migrants are not commodities, illegal aliens or mere victims, they are human beings," the statement adds.
Around the world, people are leaving their home countries in search of safety, freedom or a better life. These migration flows are a challenge to churches as migrants bring their own traditions and values into local parishes or create their own religious communities, church leaders at the conference noted. At the same time, they are pressing churches to live up to their mandate to act and speak out in favour of the weak where migrants and refugees are being victimised.
"Welcoming the stranger is not optional for Christians. Nor is it conditional." said World Council of Churches (WCC) General Secretary Rev Dr Samuel Kobia addressing the hearing on Tuesday. The church should strengthen its hospitality in an "era of new forms of migration", whilst being an "advocate and defender of the right of people to move freely within their own nation and leave their home and live elsewhere in search of their God given right to life with dignity," he added.
Reminding the audience of the 54 Burmese who died earlier this month from suffocation in a truck which should have smuggled them into Thailand, the Christian Conference of Asia General Secretary, Dr Prawate Kid-arn, called for a positive understanding of migrants. "Migration is a courageous expression of an individual's will to overcome adversity and live a better life." For Kid-arn, the "most effective way to prevent trafficking is to provide legal channels for migration and employment that meets national standards".
This assessment was backed by Doris Peschke, general secretary of the Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe, who called the European Union's migration and asylum policy "contradictory and ambiguous". Peschke cited the positive example of internal migration within the EU which is addressed "not with laws on aliens but with social and integration programmes", adding that this is "the response needed also for third country nationals".
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle park bristol bs4 2rd
Ephesians 4:2-3
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:2-3
St George's Day - April 23rd
The results of an English Heritage survey found that almost half the respondents believed St George was one of the mythical knights of King Arthur’s Round Table. 
In fact, he was a Roman army officer – which fewer than 20% of people knew! To follow are few other facts that maybe you didn’t know about St George!
.Although he’s the patron saint of England, St. George was actually born in Israel and probably never visited here.
.St George is also the patron saint on Canada, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, .Montenegro, Serbia and Catalonia as well as many charities and cities including Moscow.
.St. George was a worthy solider in the Roman army and earned himself a position of nobility.
.St. George was born in 270 AD, that’s over 1700 years ago. He died aged just 33.
.St George was given his sainthood because he refused to carry out the persecution of the Christians which was demanded of him by his leader in the Roman army, and was then tortured and killed himself.
.St George’s Day is celebrated in England on the 23rd April. This is said to be the date he died (or the date of his martyrdom).
.The banner of St George is a white flag with a red cross, and is used as the Flag of England. This call was used to encourage bravery before soldiers went into battle.
.Shakespeare was born and died on April 23rd, St George's Day.
In fact, he was a Roman army officer – which fewer than 20% of people knew! To follow are few other facts that maybe you didn’t know about St George!.Although he’s the patron saint of England, St. George was actually born in Israel and probably never visited here.
.St George is also the patron saint on Canada, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, .Montenegro, Serbia and Catalonia as well as many charities and cities including Moscow.
.St. George was a worthy solider in the Roman army and earned himself a position of nobility.
.St. George was born in 270 AD, that’s over 1700 years ago. He died aged just 33.
.St George was given his sainthood because he refused to carry out the persecution of the Christians which was demanded of him by his leader in the Roman army, and was then tortured and killed himself.
.St George’s Day is celebrated in England on the 23rd April. This is said to be the date he died (or the date of his martyrdom).
.The banner of St George is a white flag with a red cross, and is used as the Flag of England. This call was used to encourage bravery before soldiers went into battle.
.Shakespeare was born and died on April 23rd, St George's Day.
10 things we didn't know last week!
1. Ian Fleming never met the woman upon whom he based Miss Moneypenny.
2. Each year 40,000 people pay homage at the California garage where the founders of Hewlett Packard started out.
3. White people make up 90% of the UK's population.
4. Most popular musical instrument in schools? The violin.
5. Morgan Tsvangirai's surname is pronounced chang-girr-IGH.
6. Much of the time it takes to fully train as an RAF pilot is taken up with solo flights.
7. Fabio Capello rings his mother every day.
8. Rice was once considered so important in Japan that it was worshipped as a god.
9. 4.4m apples are thrown away daily in the UK.
10. Belugas are the only white whales.
courtesy of the beeb
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle bristol bs4 2rd
2. Each year 40,000 people pay homage at the California garage where the founders of Hewlett Packard started out.
3. White people make up 90% of the UK's population.
4. Most popular musical instrument in schools? The violin.
5. Morgan Tsvangirai's surname is pronounced chang-girr-IGH.
6. Much of the time it takes to fully train as an RAF pilot is taken up with solo flights.
7. Fabio Capello rings his mother every day.
8. Rice was once considered so important in Japan that it was worshipped as a god.
9. 4.4m apples are thrown away daily in the UK.
10. Belugas are the only white whales.
courtesy of the beeb
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle bristol bs4 2rd
Jesus at the Gates
St Peter decides to take the day off to go fishing, so Jesus offers to keep an eye on the Pearly Gates. He is not sure what to do, so Peter tells him to find out a 
bit about people as they arrive in Heaven, and this will help him decide if he can let them in.After a while, Jesus sees a little old man with white hair approaching who looks very, very familiar. He asks the old man to tell him about himself. The old man says, "I had a very sad life. I was a carpenter and had a son who I lost at a relatively young age, and although he was not my natural child, I loved him dearly."
Jesus welled up with emotion. He threw his arms around the old man and cried, "Daddy!"
The old man replied, "Pinocchio?"
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle bristol bs4 2rd
Richard Baxter - Sabbath
What fitter day to ascend to heaven, than that on which He arose from earth, and fully triumphed over death and hell. Use your Sabbaths as steps to glory, till you have passed them all, and are there arrived.
Richard Baxter
Table Top and Plant Sale
The Friday Friendship attendees were treated to a little early shopping 
on Friday for the Table Top Sale on Saturday. This introduced a whole new group to the sale and added greatly to the success of the event. Well done to everyone for making this such a success and a special mention to Mike, who sacrificed the valuable space in his greenhouse to grow on his plant clippings (especially the fuschias), which contributed greatly to the Table Top Sale proceeds.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
— Jeremiah 9:23-24 —
This is what the LORD says:
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD.
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle park bristol bs4 2rd
1 Peter 4:12-13
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
1 Peter 4:12-13
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle park bristol bs4 2rd
Wells worth a visit!
A £4m plan to open to the public part of the gardens of the Bishop's Palace in Wells has received a lottery boost.
The project includes restoring the 19th Century gardens and _medium.jpg)
converting the undercroft (underground room) into an exhibition space.
A Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) award of £114,500 will be spent developing the scheme for submission for a full grant.
A further £877,500 has been earmarked to support the work from 2009 if the application is successful.
The palace is surrounded by 14 acres of gardens, including the St Andrew's spring which currently cannot be seen by the public.
The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Rt Revd Peter Price, said: "This is an exciting time for the palace.
"The palace has always played a central role in the community, not only of Wells but of the whole diocese and this project will ensure it continues."
It is hoped opening the gardens will boost the Bishop's Palace as one of the region's main tourist attractions.
The HLF grant has been matched by a grant of £1.1m from the Church Commissioners who own the site.
church of the nazarene broadwalk knowle park bristol bs4 2rd
Children are arrows - Henry Smith
Well doth David call children "arrows"; for if they be well bred, they shoot at their parents' enemies; and if they be evil bred, they shoot at their parents.
Henry Smith
Christians Against Poverty - Sunday Times "Best Small Company to Work For"
Christians Against Poverty (CAP), the winner of this year’s prestigious Sunday Times ‘Best Small Company to Work For’, has today announced that the secrets of its success will be available to organisations across the UK.
Far from playing its cards close to its chest, the charity, which specialises in debt counselling through a national network of church-based centres, has launched its first ‘Share the Secret’ Day. For one day only, companies from across the country can experience the work environment that has enabled the charity to win the national awards.
Matt Barlow, head of CAP UK, said: “Winning the award has been a fantastic achievement for us, as it shows our teams and managers are motivated to do an excellent job for our clients.
“Also, we have managed this within a rapidly growing and fast-paced environment as the charity has grown in 12 years from being a one-man operation to a national organisation with 65 local debt counselling centres across the UK.
“Whilst many would be tempted to safeguard their uniqueness and be cagey about what creates a dynamic work place, we’re happy to share our secrets with those who want to improve their own places of work.”
‘Share the Secret’ Day is on 20 May at CAP’s UK Headquarters, Jubilee Mill, in Bradford. Places will be limited to just 80 and the day will comprise seminars, talks and tours of the mill facility, with delegate’s fees being put back into the charity to continue its work with the poor across the UK.
Now in their sixth year, the ‘Best Companies’ awards are increasingly seen as the benchmark for good practice, employee satisfaction and career progression in the world. With employees anonymously assessing their own companies, the results provide a vital insight into the working environments of many organisations across all sectors in the UK.
With costs for attendance based on company turnover, the charity hopes the day will be accessible for companies of all sizes.
Far from playing its cards close to its chest, the charity, which specialises in debt counselling through a national network of church-based centres, has launched its first ‘Share the Secret’ Day. For one day only, companies from across the country can experience the work environment that has enabled the charity to win the national awards.
Matt Barlow, head of CAP UK, said: “Winning the award has been a fantastic achievement for us, as it shows our teams and managers are motivated to do an excellent job for our clients.
“Also, we have managed this within a rapidly growing and fast-paced environment as the charity has grown in 12 years from being a one-man operation to a national organisation with 65 local debt counselling centres across the UK.
“Whilst many would be tempted to safeguard their uniqueness and be cagey about what creates a dynamic work place, we’re happy to share our secrets with those who want to improve their own places of work.”
‘Share the Secret’ Day is on 20 May at CAP’s UK Headquarters, Jubilee Mill, in Bradford. Places will be limited to just 80 and the day will comprise seminars, talks and tours of the mill facility, with delegate’s fees being put back into the charity to continue its work with the poor across the UK.
Now in their sixth year, the ‘Best Companies’ awards are increasingly seen as the benchmark for good practice, employee satisfaction and career progression in the world. With employees anonymously assessing their own companies, the results provide a vital insight into the working environments of many organisations across all sectors in the UK.
With costs for attendance based on company turnover, the charity hopes the day will be accessible for companies of all sizes.
Idle Hands really are the Devils workshop - lol!!
Apr. 9 - A German bicycle fanatic has invented what he calls the "biggest rideable guitar in the universe".
Dieter "Didi" Senft hopes the giant guitar-shaped bike will secure him another world record. He wants to register his latest creation as the world's biggest mobile guitar with Guinness World Records.
This chap really does need help!
Churches on Tyneside have been placed on alert after a conman persuaded clergy to part with cash so he could attend bogus family funerals. Several churches in Gateshead have been targeted in the scam, with police warning others to be on their guard. In one case a clergyman handed over £60 after being told the man could not afford to travel to his father's funeral in Jersey. The conman is said to be white, in his 40s and thin-faced. A Northumbria Police spokesman said the conman was targeting those who were used to helping people in genuine need.
Upcoming Events - Looking for something different to do this month?
Friday Friendship - 11th April - Guest Speaker/Chatter - 1:15pm
Table Top Sale - 12th April - 10-12 - Grab a bargain, have a cup of tea and a cake and have a natter! Donations and volunteers always appreciated.
April 26th – 6.30 - Quiz Night - Meet at Church & please bring nibbles. Who wants to be a nibblionaire?
Pentecost goes Bollywood
A Bollywood-style musical version of the gospel story is about to be staged in London.
As part of the new Pentecost Festival, Release International is presenting a special Asian-style version of the popular Christian musical His Story.
A cast of more than 30 actors, singers and dancers will celebrate the gospel story through drama, live music and multi-media.
The musical features the internationally acclaimed Christian Indian musicians Anil and Reena Kant, who perform alongside actors, choirs, Bollywood dancers, soloists and a 20-piece band.
His Story is the creation of composer Ken Shearsmith. He is well-known for his inspirational songs, including those based on the writings of Selwyn Hughes (CWR) in Every Day with Jesus. Shearsmith has also produced for Release International the CD Lift Your Hearts to Heavenly Places.
His Story was originally conceived as a unique live musical and visual experience that any church, college or school could perform for themselves, both for outreach and fundraising. It features 25 original songs, varying from ballad to pop, from blues to choral and from folk to gospel/soul.
His Story has been adapted for the Pentecost Festival with a unique Asian feel, to tell the story of the events that led up to Pentecost.
"The performance promises to be a spectacular event, with a rich fusion of music, drama and multi-media," says Shearsmith. "Don’t miss it!"
Blaise Pascal - Evil
Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.
Blaise Pascal
Extra funding for the homeless!
The Department for Communities and Local Government has announced a package of measures to improve services for 
homeless people and seven YMCA projects have been selected to receive funding.
A total of £70 million will be allocated to 69 homeless projects across England, as part of the Government's Places of Change fund, to help people in supported accommodation to find jobs and develop practical work and life skills.
YMCA Derbyshire has been given funding to provide purpose built accommodation and training facilities for young homeless people. They already receive Learning and Skills Council and Job Centre Plus funding.
YMCA Derbyshire's deputy chief executive, Paul Malone said: "The grant essentially means that, subject to planning, our new-build campus for learning and development serving homeless people will go ahead starting on site in August."
The funding is being used by some branches of the YMCA to help some young formerly homeless people develop their creative talents. Leicester YMCA will use its funding to develop a theatre in the heart of a hostel to offer theatre training, such as lighting, stage management, front of house reception and bar stewarding, while Crewe YMCA will develop construction training, a music and performance space and a gym.
The Government funding will also boost the expand the facilities and support services on offer at some of the YMCA's homeless centres.
Working with Lancaster City Council, Lancaster and District YMCA's funding, meanwhile, will see the YMCA's premises on New Road developed to provide extra training facilities and a range of support services for homeless people. 
Phil McGrath, general secretary of Lancaster and District YMCA, said: "This is brilliant news for the homeless people of the Lancaster district. It is a much welcomed boost to what we're sure will be a fabulous facility."
Burton on Trent YMCA, working alongside East Staffordshire Borough Council, will develop new accommodation for rough sleepers in an existing YMCA supported housing scheme.
Burton YMCA chief executive Paul Laffey said: "This is great news for vulnerable homeless people in East Staffordshire. We are delighted the funding bid has been successful.
"As well as addressing housing problems for this client group, the services developed will support them around health, jobs and key life skills."
My friend...
This is my friend Alan Roberts, we were best friends when we were younger (pictures from 1982) and still are. I got a phone call last night from another friend to say he had died in his bed in a mission in London. He died pennyless, homeless, probably drunk and extremely sad and depressed at 46. I tried to help him a couple of years ago but his depression was ruining our family unit and so I had to ask him to leave. You only get one shot so don't do what I did and push someone away when they need you the most. RIP.
Ephesians 4:29
Stop all your dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say.
Blair wants bigger role for religion in government!
Former prime minister Tony Blair has called for faith to be given a central role in tackling the world's problems.
Mr Blair said faith should be rescued from extremism and be a force for progress, in his first speech on faith since becoming a Catholic.
He said politicians found it difficult to talk about faith because they "may be considered weird".
His speech was accompanied by a noisy anti-war protest and silent vigil by Catholic peace group Pax Christi.
Mr Blair, who converted to Catholicism months after stepping down as prime minister last summer and is now a Middle East envoy, told an audience of 1,600 at Westminster Cathedral he was often asked if faith was important to his politics.
"If you are someone 'of faith' it is the focal point of belief in your life. There is no conceivable way that it wouldn't affect your politics," he said.
'Packet of trouble'
But he said he had "no claims to moral superiority" and, referring to his former press secretary Alastair Campbell's famous remark while he was PM that "we don't do God", Mr Blair said it was "always a packet of trouble to talk about it".
He said for politicians to admit to having faith "leads to a whole series of suppositions".
These ranged from being "considered weird" to people assuming "that your religion makes you act, as a leader, at the promptings of an inscrutable deity" or that politicians desire to impose their faith on others.
Mr Blair said religion was not in decline and acts of terrorism had highlighted the fact that "we ignore the power of religion at our peril".
"Religious faith is a good thing in itself that so far from being a reactionary force - it is a major part to play in shaping values which guide the modern world and can and should be a force for progress," he said.
"But it has to be rescued on the one hand from the extremist and exclusionist tendency within religion today."
Faith Foundation
He said religious faith was most obviously associated with extremism in the name of Islam, but there were extremists in "virtually every religion" and those who used "their faith as a means of excluding the other person who does not share it".
He said his Faith Foundation, to be launched later this year, would bring together different faiths to promote religion as a force for good.
In a question and answer session later, Mr Blair was asked if he would have done anything differently in the light of the fact that he recently converted to Catholicism.
He said: "There is nothing I look back on now and say that as a result of my religious journey I would have done things very differently but that is expressly not to say that I got everything right."
Outside the cathedral a crowd of protesters blew whistles and made noise, saying they wanted to hold Mr Blair to account over his role.
Organisers of the demonstration said they were not attacking Mr Blair's freedom of speech, but his right to be treated as a pillar of respectability.
The Catholic peace group Pax Christi also held a silent vigil before the noisy protest.
Among them was former Iraq hostage Norman Kember, who said: "What happened to me was a minor blip in my life compared to the continuing plight of Iraq and the way ordinary Iraqi citizens have suffered so much.
"I feel it is partly Mr Blair's fault and I don't like the idea of him talking in a church. I feel what he did was un-Christian."
Terry Sanderson, of the National Secular Society, said: "Mr Blair's call for religion to play a bigger role in world affairs is like trying to douse a fire by showering it with petrol."
Matthew 24:36-42 - You never know!
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left."
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."
Matthew 24:36-42
Christian in Iraq - Never give up
A leading Iraqi prelate has told how Christians have reacted with a show of defiance following the tragic death of an archbishop – an event which shocked the world.
Despit
e the ever-present risk of kidnappings and bomb-blasts, Easter Mass-goers have packed churches across the country both Sunday and the weekend before.
At least two Iraqi priests, until now studying in Europe, have decided to return to Baghdad in a move bound to boost the confidence of the country’s dwindling Christian community.
Discussing the Christians’ defiance in an interview with Aid to the Church in Need, Bishop Andreas Abouna of Baghdad said the people’s determination gave new cause for hope.
Speaking from Baghdad, the auxiliary to the Patriarch of Babylon (Baghdad) of the Chaldeans, said: “Our people are used to being part of a persecuted Church – it’s all we’ve ever known, almost from the beginning starting barely 400 years after Christ.
“They know it is their life to go through this.”
Bishop Abouna was speaking on Monday nearly three weeks after the death of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho, of Mosul in northern Iraq.
The archbishop, 65, was kidnapped on the steps of his cathedral in an attack which left his driver and two bodyguards dead.
Archbishop Rahho died about two weeks later, apparently of natural causes, and was buried in a shallow grave in Mosul.
Meantime, reports have come in showing how Christians in the nearby Nineveh plains have held peaceful demonstrations calling for the arrest of Archbishop Rahho’s kidnappers.
Acting on an Easter appeal by bishops in Nineveh, Christians have taken to the streets with pictures of Archbishop Rahho and other ‘martyrs’ walking through villages including Karamles, where the prelate’s funeral took place on Friday, 14th March. 
Bishop Abouna said there was still no further information about the kidnappers’ identity or motive. He refused to rule out the possibility of them striking again.
The bishop went on to stress how Christians were determined to “keep faith”.
The bishop said: “Many of the churches were packed with people – although in Mosul, it is different because until now the situation has been unstable.”
He said: “We – both us bishops and priests – have told the people that they have to stand by for anything and that they have to defend their faith. We have asked them not to lose hope in Christ.
“Christians in Iraq do not like being a persecuted Church but if persecution comes, we are ready.”
He spoke of his delight at the imminent return to Baghdad of the two priests, who cannot be named for security reasons. “This is wonderful news – a real sign of hope,” he said.
The return of the priests, who have received funding from ACN, will help allay fears that Archbishop Rahho’s death would spark another mass exodus of Christians from Iraq.
Before 2003, Christians in Iraq numbered up to 1.2 million but it is now thought that almost two-thirds have fled abroad, especially to Syria, Jordan and Turkey.
About Aid to the Church in Need:
Directly under the Holy See, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity – helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.
Founded in 1947 by Fr Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity”, the organisation is now at work in about 145 countries throughout the world.
The charity – whose UK office is in Sutton, Surrey – undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 45 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.
John Bunyan - Sin
Sin is the dare of God's justice, the rape of His mercy, the jeer of His patience, the slight of His power, and the contempt of His love.
John Bunyan
John Bunyan
Charity runners to settle chicken and egg dispute at London Marathon - All For Eggceptional Cause
One of life’s eternal questions is due to be answered on 13 April when a chicken and an egg compete to determine, once and for all, which came first.
The Flora London Marathon will see charity runner Hannah Miller don a specially designed egg suit and race her colleague Therese Whitcomb-Eriksson, who will be dressed as a chicken, along the 26.2 mile course.
Ms Miller and Ms Whitcomb-Eriksson are running to raise money
for the 'Be a Good Egg' campaign being run by the Christian charity World Emergency Relief (WER). They both work for the charity at its central-London office.
"I’ve always thought the egg came first, and now I’m out to prove it,” says WER’s business and finance manager Miller. “We’re running for fun but I reckon there’s going to be a bit of pushing and shoving when we get close to the finish line. One of us has got to come first if this age-old question is ever going to be resolved.”
WER’s Be a Good Egg campaign is raising money to send laying hens to impoverished families in developing countries, supplying them with a sustainable source of eggs to eat and sell. The chicken and egg runners aim to raise £2,000 by running the marathon which will fund the purchase of more than 330 hens to produce almost 40,000 eggs in a year.
“Forty thousand eggs will be an egg-cellent result,” says Ms Whitcomb-Eriksson, WER’s donor development manager. “Keeping laying hens is one of the easiest steps towards self sufficiency in terms of both food and income. It’s a cheap and easy way to make a real difference to the lives of people who are genuinely hungry and in need.”
The Flora London Marathon will see charity runner Hannah Miller don a specially designed egg suit and race her colleague Therese Whitcomb-Eriksson, who will be dressed as a chicken, along the 26.2 mile course.
Ms Miller and Ms Whitcomb-Eriksson are running to raise money
for the 'Be a Good Egg' campaign being run by the Christian charity World Emergency Relief (WER). They both work for the charity at its central-London office."I’ve always thought the egg came first, and now I’m out to prove it,” says WER’s business and finance manager Miller. “We’re running for fun but I reckon there’s going to be a bit of pushing and shoving when we get close to the finish line. One of us has got to come first if this age-old question is ever going to be resolved.”
WER’s Be a Good Egg campaign is raising money to send laying hens to impoverished families in developing countries, supplying them with a sustainable source of eggs to eat and sell. The chicken and egg runners aim to raise £2,000 by running the marathon which will fund the purchase of more than 330 hens to produce almost 40,000 eggs in a year.
“Forty thousand eggs will be an egg-cellent result,” says Ms Whitcomb-Eriksson, WER’s donor development manager. “Keeping laying hens is one of the easiest steps towards self sufficiency in terms of both food and income. It’s a cheap and easy way to make a real difference to the lives of people who are genuinely hungry and in need.”
Upcoming Events
Teens - Game Night TONIGHT!! Pastor is on a retreat so other teams stand a chance this time. 7:00pm
Friday Friendship - 11th April - Guest Speaker/Chatter - 1:15pm
Table Top Sale - 12th April - 10-12 - Grab a bargain, have a cup of tea and a cake and have a natter! Donations and volunteers always appreciated.
April 26th – 6.30 - Quiz Night - Meet at Church & please bring nibbles. Who wants to be a nibblionaire?
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