Family service

New Year – New focus

Hebrews 12:1

Speaker: Simon Downing

Not only is it a New Year but it is a new decade. A chance to weigh up the past and look forward to a different future. The archbishop of Canterbury urged people to make personal connections with others in 2020 to create a new unity in a divided society.
In his new year message, Justin Welby said: “Let’s go for a heroic new year’s resolution. Let’s resolve to reconnect. To reach out to just one person we don’t know, or from whom we have drifted apart. “Pick one person. Pick up the phone. Send them a text. Meet them for a cup of tea. Make that connection. Let’s begin cementing our unity one brick at a time.”
This sounds very similar to our vision for our proposed “Open House”. Why not make this your new year’s resolution too, but unlike most resolutions, let’s all make a determined effort to make it happen?

What kind of faith for 2020?

Judges 6:11-18; Hebrews 11:1-2

Speaker: Stuart Filby

Two words describe faith: sure and certain. These two qualities need a secure beginning and ending point. The beginning point of faith is believing in God’s character – He is who He says He is. The end point is believing in God’s promises – He will do what He says He will do. When we believe that God will fulfil his promises even though we don’t see these promises materialising yet, we demonstrate true faith.