HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
…to Norman who will be 75 on 4th June. A few of us in lockdown are beginning to look like the wild man of Borneo, but as you can see, Norman is going for a proper hippy look!
Congratulations also to Queenie who is staying well and thriving in Claremont Nursing Home, and reached an impressive 91 years old on May 19th.
Please keep sending news, pictures, prayer requests and ideas in to us: we’d love to share them with everyone!
MORE LOCKDOWN LONGINGS
Here are some more of the things we’re most looking forward to when the lockdown finally ends …..
- Having a haircut and seeing the grandchildren (Joan C)
- Seeing grandchildren, and great-grandchildren (that’s showing off!) and doing my own shopping (Sheila N)
- Going to Weymouth and seeing the sea (Wendy W)
- Big hug from the grandchildren (Carol B)
- Seeing people in the flesh, and seeing the bluebell wood at Sandy Lane (Janet M)
- Hugs with our family and meeting up with church family again (Zelda)**
- “The first thing I’ll do is give thanks to God for having the freedom to go out”. (Margaret H)
** Zelda also impressively went on to a theological reflection, commenting: “This reminds us how much we all naturally desire freedom – and how Jesus sets us free from the “lockdown” of sin”.
PENTECOST (May 31st) IS NOT JUST FOR PENTECOSTALS
We sometimes remind people around the end of the year that “Christ is not just for Christmas!”. But Pentecost is this coming Sunday, and a similar principle applies. The New Testament is full of the work of the Holy Spirit, drawing us into life-changing relationship with God the Father through Jesus, changing and empowering God’s people, giving both gifts and fruit.
So this Sunday, why not read again in Acts 2 the story of God’s gift to his church of His Holy Spirit? Remind yourself that we don’t either focus on the Bible or on the Holy Spirit: we seek the Holy Spirit’s touch on our lives, just because we take God’s word totally seriously. And maybe let’s each pray for a fresh touch of the Spirit of Christ on our lives (Luke 11 verse 13). David
GOD’S SKINHEAD ANGEL!
I recently had occasion to phone someone whose husband pastors a small church. I asked how it was going and whether they still used the baptistry in the wild flower garden behind the chapel. “We’ve now been given a summer house so people can watch baptisms under cover”, he replied.
He and his wife had been wanting to build a summer house, but knew their little congregation of about 12 couldn’t afford it. One morning he went to the local wood yard and told the shop assistant, “I want a summer house, and I’d like you to give it to me!”
The assistant called his manager, who turned out to be a huge-necked, shaven-headed young man in big boots. “Come outside with me”, he said, and led him to a pile of wood and glass on the ground. The pastor was somewhat nervous, having been in the Crown Prosecution Service. So when the young man said, “I think I know you”, the pastor wondered if he’d seen him in court with the CPS and was about to engage in a bout of fisticuffs! But the young man continued, “Our family used to come to your Sunday School, and now we go to the local christian fellowship”. After consulting with his boss, the manager said, “We’ve been thinking about this: the owner doesn’t want it; we can’t sell it, so we’re going to give it to you and we’ll come and put it up for you!”
How good is the God we adore! Nora.
Finally, some people are taking “lockdown” rather literally! Here’s Sue banished to a cage in our back garden (don’t ask why!). Mona “Layabout” Lisa, meanwhile, is making the most of the peace and quiet in her own Louvre Lockdown!
You can also download a PDF if you like.