ÎBâ FOR BELIEFS
In this new series Bob
Forrest provides you with his personal thoughts for your spiritual well being
using the alphabet as his guide.
I BELIEVE in
one God whose nature is Love and who reveals himself to men in three distinct
ways - as Creator, as Saviour and as Guide. One God, three Persons, blessed
Trinity.
I BELIEVE in
God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and
invisible. Who also created man and breathed his Holy Spirit into him.
I BELIEVE in
God the Beloved who reciprocates the love of God and who, in order to reconcile
God and man, was born into this world as a baby in
He was
named Jesus.
He grew up in
He started
his divine mission at about the age of thirty, and spent three years teaching the people, healing the sick,
and above all, setting an example of how life should be lived in accordance
with God's will.
He fell foul of
the ecclesiastical authorities and was convicted of blasphemy.
The civil
authorities executed him by crucifixion.
He died and was
buried.
Three days later he was raised to new life
and was seen by his closest followers during a period of forty days.
Thereafter he left this world and returned to
the nearer presence of God.
I BELIEVE in
God the Spirit who came, as Jesus had promised, to sustain and strengthen the
first disciples and who will accept an invitation to guide and inspire every
man who wishes to live in accordance with God's will.
I BELIEVE that
Jesus directed his followers to meet together as a Church, to remember him
whenever they partake of food and to spread the good news of God's new
relationship with men.
I BELIEVE that
God's purposes for every man extend beyond life on this earth.
|
|
Whilst the Saturday Coffee Morning was taking place on 2nd November,
Anne Whitlam, with a group of helpers, was receiving and organising the
Christmas Shoe-boxes. More boxes appeared on Sunday morning and these were
Îdedicatedâ by Richard Landon at the Î
To add to the donations of shoe-boxes, £175 was received, in cash, to
cover transportation costs. As this was more than the amount needed, the
balance was donated to the same Charity.
Thank you so much to everyone who has helped in any way with this
Appeal - we are very grateful to you all for making this splendid result
possible, and helping to bring happiness to underprivileged children in other
parts of the world this Christmas.
Celia Miller
|
|
Further up the road the
congregation at St. Gilesâ Church had organised 110 shoeboxes full of gifts for
a different charity called Link
The local building firm
referred to in last monthâs Church News has written to the Editor to say that
the reported plan to maintain our Village Pond is not a part of the
negotiations taking place with the
PATIENT
SERVICE 2002
The next Sunday when
volunteers are needed to collect patients from wards for Communion services in
hospital is:Ê
This small service is very
much appreciated by patients who have no family available to help them. Anyone who is able to assist, please contact Alan Grove on 020 8868
9220.
Christmas is coming and no
doubt readers will be collecting many stamps when their greetings cards drop
through their letterbox. Donât throw them away as they can be converted into
cash for charitable use. Keep all your stamps, British or Foreign, and then
telephone Joyce Hodt on 01895 632547 who will tell
you how you can get your collection to her.
Members of the Inner Wheel Club of Elthorne-Hillingdon
would like to thank all those who supported our Craft Fayre
on 7th November. We raised just over £1,300, which
will be donated to children's charities in the next few weeks.
Joan Thorpe
Deanery
Overseas Day 18th October
Jane Arden was the speaker at
the ãOverseas Dayä hosted by members of St. Lawrence Church, Eastcote.Ê Each year the Deanery holds an ãOverseas
Dayä, and these are organised by one of the four local, MU Branches.
Members from St. Gilesâ Church
attended and were given much Îfood for thoughtâ on the subject ofÊ ÎUsing the Worldâs
Resourcesâ.Ê Jane reminded us that the MU
is a leader, nationally and internationally, in fighting the cause of the poor.
She quoted from ProverbsÊ
ãSpeak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the
rights of all who are destitute.Ê Speak
up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and needy.ä
How can we, as individuals and
members of the MU, make a difference? Well, we can make time.ÊÊ Time is a precious thing. We can be aware of
the need for prayer, and then make time for it. Once we have been alerted to a
world catastrophe or situation that makes us angry, we should do something
about it - not only in prayer, but also by writing to our MP. This IS
effective, because the Minister responsible always has to sign, personally, the
reply. A deluge of letters on a particular subject of concern can bring
influence to bear.
Ê
Jane spoke of the efforts to
take care of the environment, fair trade for the poorest countries,
agricultural subsidies (which are helping the rich become richer and penalising
the poor) and patenting wild plants for use in agriculture and
pharmaceuticals.ÊÊ For example India has
81,000 species of fauna and 47,000 of flora. These include 15,000 plant
varieties unique to the sub-continent.Ê
However, giant multi-national industrial companies hold 97% of worldwide
patents and they are driving the rush to copyright genetically modified
resources.(source Action Aid).
Royalty payments to USA
companies during the l990s doubled to $33bn. The rich multi-nationals are tying
up, Îlegallyâ, poor countries in the developing world, and the latter feel
powerless.
In summing up, Jane urged us
to pray. She suggested we learn all we can from the media, and discuss issues
with friends and colleagues. We should voice our concerns to Government
Ministers via our local MP.
Finally we should support
fundraising activities and buy ÎFairtradeâ,Ê ÎTraidcraftâ and
ÎOxfamâ goods. We finished the meeting by using, as a prayer, the words from
Margaret Rizzaâs hymn ãCreator Godä.
The money collected from the
Bring and Buy stall will be used to support the Mothers Union worldwide fund.
Ann Ralph
