Letters From Brian, Our previous Minister

Recent copies of the letters from our previous Minister Brian. These are reproduced from the monthly Newsletter..

January 2018: From the Minister's Blank Pages


Some people get very excited about the new clean pages of a new year. The diary highlights this feeling for some. Crisp clean weeks spread out, all minus the detritus of the previous year.
  • Cat sitting for neighbour
  • Man coming for fourth attempt to stop the washer leaking
  • ‘Friends’ who shared our table on holiday coming to call, AGAIN
Of course it’s not long before we realise that much of the baggage for last year has turfed up in this year.
  • Dentist, March 5th
  • Boiler Service 8th May
  • Chimney sweep 5th June
Our approach to life can be the deciding mark for this New Year. If we stay with a feeling of ‘nothing ever happens/ matters/or pleases’ this new year will wash up as the last one. If we decide on doing new things, trying a new group or making time for those who don’t always agree with us then this year might be very different. These are just random examples; you know what you would find a challenging or even wish to avoid but do you want to drift through 365 days. Are there any idols in your faith, have you given more time to something in recent years at the expense of Christianity.

Isaiah 43 shows how God offers rescue to Jacob but also notes that Jacob has not been quite so paid up to a little sacrifice. He hasn’t given God his ear. But God is still willing to bless and encourage him in Chapter 44. In 43: 19 part way through His review of Jacob, God declares, “See I’m doing a new thing! ”. The purpose of this is so people may proclaim His praise. God tells Jacob good news but then comes a list of the disappointments that God has seen in his people. In Isaiah 44. 6 God says “ I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. ......Do not tremble, do not be afraid”. From verse 6-23 God speaks about the futility of idols in almost comic tones. His message though is clear. You only need me and anything else is a waste of time, a distraction and an insult.

From our closing diary of 2017 which days would have shown where our idols live? Was there any disappointment for God in our pages?
God says’ I ‘am doing a new thing’. We have a fresh start in a New Year. I wish you every blessing in the coming 52 weeks

Brian
From Our Previous Minister, Brian
Our approach to life can be the deciding mark for this New Year ...