From the Ministry team
In August, Anne and I, together with Francis and Allie, went to the Keswick Convention in the Lake District for the first time, enjoying good teaching in the mornings and fell walking in the afternoons – a wholesome combination!
Before the main talk, Anne and I went to lectures on Martin Luther, William Tyndale, John Wesley and George Whitfield, and Elizabeth Fry and I note that three of these are commemorated in the church’s calendar this month:
William Tyndale, who translated much of the Bible into English, is celebrated on 6th October, the day of his death in 1536;
Elizabeth Fry, who brought about significant prison reform, is remembered on 12th October, the day that she died in 1845; and
Martin Luther (1483-1546), who spearheaded the Protestant Reformation, realising that the Bible teaches that people are justified by faith rather than works, is commemorated on 31st October, the anniversary of the day that he posted his ninety-five theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg in 1517.
The main talk each day was on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, in the final chapter of which Paul exhorted them to ‘be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power’ and to ‘put on the full armour of God’: ‘the belt of truth’, ‘the breastplate of righteousness’, ‘feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace’, ‘the shield of faith’, ‘the helmet of salvation’ and ‘the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God’.
The point was made that these are largely defensive items, helping one to stand firm against the schemes of Satan, in the knowledge that Jesus Christ has already won the victory.
One other person who is celebrated this month is St Francis of Assisi, on 4th October, so I will conclude with his prayer:
Lord, make us instruments of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
through the love of thy Son, who died for us, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Henry Stanford - Reader