Our focus at the last service was learning all about LOVE – what it is, why it is important.We learned that that Jesus loves us all very much……in fact his love for us is so high we can’t get over it, so low we can’t get under it and so wide we can’t get round it - and we all energetically expressed this through singing the popular song ‘Jesus love is very wonderful’ with supporting actions (something we do every Funday@4).We explored that fact that it’s easy for us to love the people we know and like – but what if it’s someone we don’t like? Someone who has been mean to us or someone we don’t even know? Should we love them? Of course we should! We learned that just as God loves everyone he also wants us to love everyone too.In our bible passage Luke 10:11 Jesus said Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your strength and with all your mind and Love your neighbour as yourself. And by ‘neighbour’ he means EVERYONE! We should love everyone as ourselves. Neighbours are not just the people who live near us or that are in our circle of friends and family or attend church with us or even just those who believe in God. Gods love is for everyone. It is a love with no strings attached….Here are 5 simple ways to show God’s love to others, we do it through…1. Listening: Listen to others, ask questions – allow people to talk – people feel valued and loved when they are heard and understood.2. Generosity: Can you think of a time when someone showed you such generosity that you still think ‘WOW, I can’t believe they did that for me’? And generosity doesn’t always need to be money, it can be being generous with your time, your kind words, your talents. Someone that is there for you in difficult times makes you feel loved. When we love someone we give go them.3. Encouraging: helping people lighten their burdens with words of encouragement. The word encourage means to ‘Make Strong’ – when we encourage each other we are making our spirits strong. We strengthen hope, faith and resolve to keep going.4. Acts of kindness: showing kindness means thinking about the other person more than you think about yourself. What can you do to make someone elses life better? It doesn’t have to be huge – but should be thoughtful. Practice being others-focused. Maybe give someone your last sweetie?5. Praying: Pray for others and their needs because God hears our prayers – its one of the easiest ways to show love.We also watch a short film called ‘The Good Samaritan’ where Jesus tells us a parable about what it means to love your neighbour. We rounded off the service by decorating hearts with lots of bright colours – some of which we have left in the church to show others what we’ve been up to and learning and to remind them that Jesus loves them too…..
Bishops at the Lambeth Conference agreed to take forward a Lambeth Call on Safe Church and recommitted to making the safety of all people in the provinces of the Anglican Communion a priority of their focus.<br>Archbishop Justin spoke about the impact of abuse on survivors and said that the biggest challenge of his ministry had been to try and get the institution of the Church to be serious about it and never to cover up. Talking in the context of countries where there is much persecution and violence, he stressed that the issue of misuse of power is fundamental. He said that he always took those who disclosed very seriously, and that it is vital that all clergy know how to report concerns appropriately. He stressed the importance of the verse from 1 John: 1:8 “If we say we have no sin we lie, and the truth is not in us.”<br><br>The Call also speaks of the creation of communities in which all people are safe and cared for as a key part of the Church’s mission and commits to action that will make churches of the Anglican Communion places of enhanced safety for everyone. Provinces of the Communion, through their representatives, will regularly report their progress on fulfilling their responsibility to protect all people in their care.<br><br>There is additional information available regarding safe guarding on this site. In Dunsfold if you have any safeguarding concerns, please contact Hazel Wiltshire (Safeguarding officer by email)<br>hazelwiltshire@talktalk.net<br><br>
Every Christian has a vital role to play in sharing their faith with others, Anglican Bishops from across the world have heard.The first official Call discussed by the Lambeth Conference urges every Christian to pray that through their example at least one person could come to faith in Jesus Christ every year.It also calls for dioceses to find creative ways to revitalise churches and plant new congregations to share the faith and for every church to be “renewed by the wonder and power of the good news of Christ”.Around 650 bishops from the Anglican Communion are meeting in The first Call considers the subject of Mission and Evangelism – meaning reaching out to others and making new disciples of Jesus Christ.The Call on Mission and Evangelism makes specific requests.1) Each diocese and every church to seek fervently to be renewed by the wonder and power of the good news of Christ.2) Each diocese and every church to commit to prayer, listening and discernment, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to discern how to bear faithful witness to Christ and authentically proclaim the gospel. This to include praying for the Holy Spirit to work in hearts and minds so that the message of the gospel would be received and bear fruit.3) In obedience to Christ’s own charge, every church to commit itself to actions which purposefully present the good news of Christ so that all might hear the call of Christ and follow Him.4) Every Christian joyfully to understand that they are a witness to Jesus Christ praying that through this at least one other person each year might come to faith and grow as a disciple.5) That we pray for each other in this ministry and commit to listen to, learn from and find encouragement together in this Call.6) For Bishops to be equipped and enabled to lead in this evangelism. Following the apostolic example we are to lead God’s church in God’s world in bold proclamation.7) For each diocese to cherish, train and send evangelists.For each diocese to make a fresh and creative commitment revitalize churches and to plant new congregations in contextually appropriate ways, to reach those who have not yet heard the Gospel.8) For the churches that are persecuted to be supported in their witness, that they may be protected and stand firm in their faith.We call on the Secretary General to support and monitor progress in these areas with the help of the Commission on Evangelism and Discipleship, and to report back to the next ACC.
Our joint parish Holy Communion service this weekend is at St Peter's Church, Hascombe at 10am. We hope you can be with us. If you're away or housebound you can join us online via this Zoom link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84804637292?pwd=NDU0RWNXKzAyclIybmdKQzZnZU8rQT09
