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We’re
being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and
how to take on a God-filled, God-honouring life!! (Titus 2: 12 (The
Message))
I wonder how you are getting on with your JAR OF GRACE! Perhaps upon reading these words you might be asking “What is the JAR OF GRACE” or your cheeks might flush up as you are reminded that you forgot all about putting the JAR OF GRACE onto your kitchen table way back at the beginning of Lent. Or perhaps your jar could be overflowing and you have had to go for reinforcements!! But whatever your circumstance, it has been on my heart to share something of the biblical teaching behind our giving. I would like to put this in the context of my limited experience of hillwalking. Since coming to the area, I have on a number of occasions climbed a number of summits and have to say that apart from a lot of puffing and panting, it was most enjoyable and a real treat to view the scenery below after all my hard work! And hillwalking or climbing is certainly something which is an extremely popular pastime amongst visitors and residents alike. But I have been more than a bit perturbed by images of climbing mountains as an analogy of the Christian faith as we climb together to meet with a Holy God at the top of the mountain. Typically the Old Testament image of God that you climbed a mountain to meet with Him on Holy ground and such meetings were limited to a select number of folk, for example Moses. God was unapproachable and remote and could only be approached through the offering of sacrifices for the sins of the people. By contrast, the New Testament concept of God is one of intimacy through relationship with His Son, who paid the price for our sin at Calvary. A deal done and complete, in the words of our communion service “a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world” (Book of Common Prayer 2004 page 188). Same God, but completely accessible through faith in the blood of the Son and his work at Calvary. But I do believe that many of us struggle with this idea of not having to do anything to receive this freedom from our sins. Many of us still believe that we need to be a little bit better so that God will accept us and so we start climbing mountains in our own vain attempt to approach God. This understanding could not be further from the truth that God could not love us any more than he already does, no matter what we do. He reaches out to us through His only Son and invites us to be introduced to Him through faith in Jesus. Jesus has opened up the doorway to heaven for each one of us and he calls us into relationship with Him. This is grace, a free gift with no strings attached. But this same grace then teaches us how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honouring life. This is what Paul was writing to Titus about, instructing him to teach the people who had already come to faith in Jesus. These instructions came after their salvation had been secured through faith. The grace that saves is the same grace that instructs us to have hearts for those in the world who have much less than ourselves. That should be why we drop our coins into our JAR OF GRACE, because God cares and because of our relationship with Him, we care also. No longer should we drop coins into a jar, or come to Church on a Sunday, or take Communion or give up sweet stuff for Lent in the mistaken belief that God will love us more for doing so. But these actions should flow out of an encounter with a Holy God who came down the mountain to meet with us through His only Son Jesus Christ our Lord.  
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News ItemsSWANLINBAR GROUP NEWSNorthern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service A team from the service will be visiting St Aidan’s High School, Derrylin on Friday 24th of March. The sessions will be from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm & from 5.15 pm to 8 pm. Please support the work of this service if you are in a position to do so. You could be saving a life! +++ Community News Templeport Parish Church will be hosting their annual Whist Drive in the Community Centre at Templeport on Thursday 30th of March, commencing at 8pm. ? ? ? ? +++ Crosslinks Summer Camps
+++ Manorhamilton Holiday Bible Club Calling all young people aged 14 years and above. Music Arts & Drama are holding another Holiday Bible Club in Manorhamilton during Holy Week (Mon 10th April to Fri 14th April). These clubs are for 6-12 year olds but we need the help of our young people to turn this vision for a camp into a reality!! If you would be even slightly interested in staying in Manorhamilton for 4 nights and having the time of your life at the same time as helping to deliver top quality Bible teaching, then please give me a call in the Rectory for more details. These camps are for the whole of our Diocese and we would be delighted if more folk could get involved in this important ministry with our children. +++ Ballyconnell Central N.S. Any parents interested in enrolling their children in Sept 2006 or Sept 2007 should contact the school for further details on 049 952 6055. +++ Congratulations! To the Foster household of Knockadoose. Kathleen and Mervyn are grandparents for the third time with the birth of baby Kathleen Marie to Jenifer and Francois in France. Congratulations to both parents and grandparents and may you all know God’s blessing at this joyous time. And many congratulations to our organist in Tomregan, Laura Foster. Laura not only passed her driving test at her first attempt but very recently passed her Grade 8 practical in piano. Very well done Laura and thanks for your continuing ministry to us through music. +++ Evening of Praise An evening of praise entitled
“To God be the glory” is to be held in Corlespratten Methodist
Church, Arva on Friday 31st of March at 8pm. The evening will feature
the singing of Darling St, Methodist Church Choir and the offering will
go towards Church funds.
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Back to TOP+ + + Service Schedule for the remainder of March
Please click here to go to the Service Schedule which will be updated with the latest information as soon as it becomes available. + + + |
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+oooo
