The cost of forgiveness . . . .

I wonder if you have been watching the news over the last week as the Credit Crunch really starts to bit with the big banking and financial institutions around the world. I have been bemused to see the extreme efforts that governments seem to be taking to steady the sinking ships. It seems that the world will end if banks we have never heard of go belly up. It seems that the people who have been getting paid big money for many years are finally getting a dose of the real world.

George Bush has been trying to get this big mega deal to help the financial system. $700 Billion dollars. The Guardian on Saturday told me that this is equal to the GDP of the world's 12th richest country and that it is equal to the US government paying out $5,530 to every person who lives in the US! Is it just me or is this a little crazy? It seems to me that the Banks are about to be forgiven for their bad debt. In order to survive the government will buy the bad debt from them. Is this not a spectacular form of forgiveness. Companies used to taking risks are being bailed out by the government. At a huge cost. I have been wondering what it might be like if my endowment mortgage fails to reach the figure I need it to get to by 2020. Will the government be there to bail me out - even though I am likely to actually have paid enough into the account . . . .

This whole financial crisis has got me thinking a lot about forgiveness. Do I resent the fact that some people get forgiven debt and others dont. Then I thought - what am I worrying about? The biggest debt in my life is already sorted. God, through Jesus, has already forgiven the fact that I invested my life in selfishness, greed, anger etc and He turned me round. Just like those big banks - I needed someone to bail me out - there was a huge cost - a cost where Jesus had to become one of us, be condemned like one of us and die like one of us - yet, He was not one of us.

My debts are forgiven. I am free. I dont need to worry about the past, the present or the future. How cool is that?
So, how do I then live this great forgiveness and share it with everyone else . . . . I think I need to work harder on my 'forgiving heart'.

New Small Group Study: Building a new community

Church is a community of believers who have a shared identity who are engaged in shared tasks and who have a shared aim. We cannot be in isolation. We are the parts of one body, we are the living stones - 'we are built together into a spiritual house' and we need to be involved in this together.

This is the first in a new series called 'Living in the real world'.

The first study of the year will be called 'Building a new community' and will look specifically at some of the writings of Paul to the church at Philippi (aka Philippians!). You can read through the notes on this study on the following link

It's time to go . . . again!

I would like to say a big hello to all of the new people who are wanting to join network groups this year. We are hoping to be able to have 2 extra new groups this year and aim to have about 65 people meeting together on a regular basis, every 2 weeks for bible study and fellowship.

These are exciting times for us and we want you to make the most of your time in the group. A new small group study guide that contains the questions that leaders will be using can be found on the links in my web space. A permanent link is over on the right of this page where it says timmanson.com or you can just click on this link. When you go to the Small Group page you will be able to see and download, print etc the most up to date study . . . if you microsoft word!

Someone should be in touch this week to let you know further details . . . but if you have not heard anything do please get in touch with me .

A message to our local community!

What a week it has been in our church! Many of us have been really encouraged by the great number of people in the church who have been meeting for prayer both as part of the week of prayer and then as part of the 24/3 prayer thing in the Lawther school. It has been a great to have such a 'family' atmosphere, with people hanging round and chatting away to people that they maybe have not chatted to in a while. There was a great feeling of community and togetherness. Our hope and our prayer is that we can continue to build on this. That God's Holy Spirit will continue to bless us, guide us and challenge us as we try to make a difference to the place where we live.

Can I say a big thank you to everyone who has made a special effort this week - for everyone who made it down to the prayer meetings and the people who helped to fill up the 44 prayer slots, the people who helped with breakfast for the prayer walk, to Peter and Brian for leading the prayer meetings and the praise section on Friday, and to Helen, Mark, Lynsey, Gav, Rosie and Sarah who all helped out with different aspects of the prayer room.

It is always rewarding when you see hard work being rewarded and you see God doing His thing through us!

Finally, can I also please say that we can continue to walk with God on a close basis by joining a network bible study group. These groups meet every 2 weeks and there will be one to suit your needs. Please come and learn more about what God wants us to do with Him in our local area!