WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.679 Hi, this is Friday the 1st of May. This is our pastoral video number seven from St Columbus. 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:19.160 You'll be glad to know that today's video is going to be completely orthodox. There 00:00:19.160 --> 00:00:25.280 will be no tongue speaking whatsoever because I can't compete with Thomas on that particular 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:36.039 scene. However, I want to make a note, give you a reminder and also a challenge very quickly. 00:00:36.039 --> 00:00:43.560 The note is that this coming Sunday is a Sunday where we will take up an online offering. We 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:50.359 want to keep on monthly taking up an offering and this Sunday we'll be taking up an offering for 00:00:50.359 --> 00:00:57.880 launching a hardship fund in the congregation. The deacons in the church have decided that it's 00:00:57.880 --> 00:01:03.439 going to be important and good to have a hardship fund. There's details of it on the Wednesday email 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:11.280 that came out during the week. We want to help support anyone during this difficult time who is 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:18.840 in financial crisis as much as we can, even if it's only a little bit we want to help. There'll 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:26.760 be details about how best to go about that and how best to contribute to it, not only by doing so 00:01:26.760 --> 00:01:33.439 on Sunday but at any other time if you look back at the email. Also, if you are in great need, 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:40.920 please speak to someone in your pastoral team, speak to Thomas or myself and as low-key and 00:01:40.920 --> 00:01:48.439 confidential as we can and as we're able, we will seek to help you. The reminder, that was the 00:01:48.439 --> 00:01:54.799 reminder, is to think about two of the themes that we've had in the church over the past little 00:01:54.799 --> 00:02:03.799 while. Both are very relevant. There's the discipleship, rooted in living in Christ. Isn't 00:02:03.799 --> 00:02:09.520 it great and important to remember that as we focus our lives on Jesus Christ even in a time of 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:16.319 drought, we needn't be anxious and we needn't cease to bear fruit. Please remember to focus the 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:24.639 heart and life and soul in Jesus Christ in these times for yourself and for each other. Also, 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:31.079 our theme for this year, which was 2020, a year of encouragement, who would have thought at the 00:02:31.079 --> 00:02:38.680 beginning of the year that we would be plunged into this Covid-19 lockdown and pandemic and how 00:02:38.680 --> 00:02:42.719 much we need encouragement. Please remember, and you're talking, you're walking and you're sharing, 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:51.039 to be an encouragement, we have never needed it quite so much. The third thing I wanted just to 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:57.039 mention is kind of a challenge or a suggestion. I don't think there's going to be any quick 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:04.199 route out of this lockdown. I think it will be quite long and quite arduous in many ways. 00:03:04.199 --> 00:03:13.879 While the Zoom platforms and other online platforms have been really great and we've been 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:21.039 blessed by them, they're tough and tiring. I would like to encourage you to think about 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:30.159 taking one day a week free from social media, from the various platforms that you can speak to 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:37.680 other people on, and maybe even a Netflix lockdown just for a day. Take time away, go out for walks, 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:47.159 do things that are physical activity, rest and spend time with the Lord, refreshing time with the 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:54.719 Lord. Seven days of prayer has been fantastic and it was great to be able to continue that this 00:03:54.719 --> 00:04:01.159 morning because that's what we're going to do one day a week. Friday at 8am, we're going to meet 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:12.719 together to pray. So maybe these times will help us to enjoy each other's company, but also maybe 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:19.720 think about taking time out from these platforms and spending time with the Lord. So I hope you 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:27.720 think about that challenge. You know you've heard a lot of people have said that the size of 00:04:27.720 --> 00:04:34.720 someone's Bible sees how big a Christian they are. Of course I don't believe that at all. 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:40.720 It's absolutely bunking them to think that's too big for the video. You can't see it. 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:50.720 No, of course it's not about the size of our Bible that makes us a great Christian. If that were 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:56.720 the case we'd probably have to all have a tiny Bible and we'd hardly be able to read it. It's not 00:04:56.720 --> 00:05:03.720 like that at all, is it? Of course it's not. I'll just use my preacher's Bible. It's not about how 00:05:03.720 --> 00:05:10.720 big and how important we are. It's how big and how important Jesus is in our lives. He alone gives us 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:18.720 the grace and the forgiveness that allows us to love Him and to love one another. And I just want to 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:25.720 finish by reading a verse which I hope will remind you of the hardship fund and how you can help in 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:32.720 it. Hebrews 13 or 16, through Jesus therefore let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise. 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:37.720 May God have all the glory in our lives. Thanks.