THE EALING HALF MARATHON OF GENEROSITY BEGINS NOW!

In my job I have the joy of getting to know many radically generous Christians.

I work for a charity, and this last weekend was busy as I met with a number of our wealthier supporters. At the end of one meeting I commented to the couple opposite that everyone I'd met there had one thing in common:

They all started to give when their means were modest.

Not all from their first pay cheque, but nearly all from their first job. 

First jobs, just married, starter homes, and growing families. All of these are good distractions to a generous life when you are early in your career.

Then there are all the experiences and opportunities on our doorstep in Ealing. I love the food, the shows, the endless places that will hoover up money when you thought you were going out for one drink.

But...giving is a choice hard-won - a muscle that needs to be exercised.

I think some have a rosy picture of life, assuming that they will naturally become generous as they accumulate wealth...

This is not the case!

Jesus talks a lot about money.

If you're reading the New Testament for the first time, you'll have noticed this. He tells stories about the über-rich...and the terribly poor.

When I read Jesus' story of the widow who gave sacrificially out of virtually nothing, we see it's not about the row of zeroes on the cheque, but the attitude of the heart.

When I read of the three servants who were trusted with unequal funds (Matthew 25:14) - the master judged all equally on his return. The one who was given little and didn't invest wisely as the others did was rebuked by the master. 

Perhaps most challenging though, are the words that introduce the above parable:

Where your treasure is, your heart is also.

Are we choosing to put the extra each month towards something that's going to fade away, or could we invest in God's plan for a broken world and give our money to the church, a charity, or someone we know who is really struggling?

You may have a little or a lot of money.

That doesn't matter.

God asks all his children to be generous - generous today - and he promises to entrust much to those who are faithful with little.

Don't be fooled to think that generosity is something easy to be acquired when life is more comfortable.

I am not running the Ealing Half Marathon.

I know some in Redeemer are, but even if I woke up that morning in September with the desire to do so, my muscles wouldn't let me.

It wouldn't be a pretty sight as my legs seized up and failed me!

If I wanted to run the Ealing Half, I'd need to start my training a little at a time, and start today.

How's your generosity training going?

SPIRITUALLY COME DANCING

As a boy in the early 70s I was sent to ballroom dancing lessons, and was part of a formation dance team for a short while.

It's something I wish that I'd kept up.

I remember the thrill of getting the timing and the footwork just right, and the ease with which we crossed the ballroom floor.

Sometimes, worshipping my Creator and Saviour can feel like an intimate, flowing dance - spiritually more than physically.

I wrote this poem trying to capture that sensation.

Gospel dance

I know a God, almost
too lovely to behold.
He stirs in me
in more ways than one
wonder. I gaze into his face
and I can gauge his grace
in the way his body moves
with mine and by how
he embraces me bone and soul.
His gentle, generous whispers
infuse within me and he strokes
my spirit back to life.
Then at my dawn in his arms
I’m turned and immersed
in gifted innocence as I’m sated
by his thick milk and the sweet fruit of his vine.

Together, we sway
to slow angel-song
and he tutors me in timeless arts, 
teaching me sweeping steps
and arousing in me
old senses. And so, 
hand in hand
I’m released,
liberated to know him
and to run with him
and to dance in step
- for - an - eternity.

So good people of Ealing,  do you want to dance? If so, I've found the perfect partner.

HOW A TRIP TO THE WALKIE-TALKIE TAUGHT ME TO LOOK AT LIFE DIFFERENTLY

I love London.

I love half-term holidays!

As a local primary school teacher I like to make the most of my holidays and get out and about as much as I can...

...that as well as a few well-needed lay-ins!

So on Monday I spent the day in Central London with my mum, and we visited the Sky Garden.

The Sky Garden spans the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch Street (aka the Walkie-Talkie), giving a 360-degree view of our great city.

You do need to book but it is free - the view and atmosphere are brilliant!

We did a complete tour of the inside, then went onto the south balcony to appreciate the London skyline.

We loved spotting as many different landmarks as we could, including:

• the beautiful St Paul's Cathedral
• the iconic Big Ben
• the famous Wembley Arch
• the historic Tower of London
• the impressive Shard

As we took in the view, we were reminded that London has some impressive buildings.

It is wholeheartedly a 21st century city, while retaining history stretching back to Ancient Roman times.

A fascinating portrait of architecture through the ages, right before our eyes.

You may love or loathe particular architecture, but you have to admit that we do have a wealth of iconic buildings in our city.

Sometimes it takes a new view and a different perspective to remember it.

When was the last time you simply appreciated the place where you live?

How much do you enjoy sharing experiences with others?

Are you ready to see life from a different perspective?

Every Sunday at Redeemer we take the chance to remind ourselves to look at life from an eternal perspective. Why not come along and see for yourself?

HOW DELAYS AT EALING BROADWAY ARE A GIFT

"We are signing you in - Please wait."

"Your custom is important to us - Please wait while we attend to your request."

"There is a problem with the connection - Please hold."

"We are experiencing a higher than usual demand for this service - Please wait."

"There are two callers ahead of you - Please hold."

"We are being held at the platform for two minutes to regulate the service."

"65 Ealing Broadway: 6 minutes away."

(Take a breath, this may take a while.)

I have a question for my fellow commuters and other London travellers.

Why do we find delays so frustrating?

Is it because we can't spare the time? Or is it because we feel control is being taken from us?

Is it because we feel imposed upon? Or perhaps we value our time so highly?

Let me suggest a different perspective:

Perhaps a delay, such as waiting for a bus, is a gift of time.

Rather than let a delay cause me irritation or anxiety, perhaps I can use the unplanned pause to look and listen, to reconsider, to let those thoughts that have drifted to the dusty corners of my mind to reassert themselves.

I read that one of the 'secrets' of successful people is pausing, making space for latent thoughts to rise to the surface.

I've another suggestion:

Perhaps I can take more of those unasked-for pauses in the day to voice a prayer, in order to ask for God's perspective on my day and to submit it to Him.

I discovered prayersonthemove.com last week:

Short one liners in an app to focus the mind away from the immediate and onto more important things.

One of the prayers quoted Nicholas Sagovsky:

"So many voices all around tell me what to do. Help me to listen to the still small voice of truth." (1 Kings 19:11-12)

You can download the app here.

Unplanned pauses give us time to conspire with our Father in heaven, to seek his wisdom, his truth and guidance, to commit our agendas to Him afresh.

So next time you have some unexpected waiting time thrust upon you, don't fret, just pause.

WHAT EALING RESIDENTS CAN LEARN FROM ARGUING CYPRIOTS

I wonder if I could take you away from leafy Ealing for a moment - around 2,000 miles away to be exact, to Cyprus.

There's been some optimism in the news recently about Cyprus.

This Mediterranean island that's visited by many every year has been divided since 1974. The northern one-third of the land is inhabited by Turkish Cypriots and the rest of the country is inhabited by Greek Cypriots. This situation arose when Greece backed a coup to overthrow the island's leadership. Turkey responded by invading the island and occupying the northern third.

Over the years, several attempts have been made to achieve reconciliation, but none have succeeded.

But it was reported recently that the leaders of both Greek and Turkish Cyprus are making a go of it again, and there is optimism that a solution can be found within the year.

As you can imagine, there are a number of issues to be agreed upon and these issues are being worked through.

I was very impressed when I heard that between May 2015 and January 2016, the presidents of both sides had 20 rounds of talks!

Nobody has 20 rounds of talks if they are not committed to finding a solution.

This isn't the first separation Cyprus has seen

The Bible captures a story of another big separation that happened many centuries ago involving Cyprus.

Paul and Barnabas were great men who went together on a journey starting churches in a number of places - including Cyprus. They took a young man with them called John Mark, who was a relative of Barnabas.

Partway through the journey Mark dropped out, and the two men had to finish the mission without him.

After some time, they were considering another trip through Cyprus and other places, to visit the churches they had set up. Barnabas wanted to give Mark a second chance and bring him along, but Paul was totally against it.

He couldn't trust Mark after he'd left the team on the last journey.

The disagreement couldn't be resolved, and Paul and Barnabas eventually went their separate ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, while Paul recruited a man called Silas, and went on a journey through Syria.

Maybe this story resonates with you.

Can you recall a time in your life when you had a ‘Cyprus’ moment…a time of painful separation?

How did you manage it?

We live in a world where it's sometimes easier to walk away than find a way through conflict.

Not to dismiss how sensible walking away from conflict can sometimes be, how about when it's wiser to find a way through?

How about when everything suggests that staying and fighting is the better long-term solution, but the temptation to pull away is very strong?

Have you ever been in a situation like that? Have you ever walked away from a job or friendship or relationship where in hindsight, perhaps you should have stayed and resolved your differences with the other side instead of walking away?

And if you're given that same opportunity again, where will you find the strength to get through the rough patch?

Reconciling Turkish and Greek Cypriots is clearly a very difficult process to navigate - discussions on reunification are still ongoing after 20 rounds of talks. We will have to watch that space to see what the outcome will be.

But one man who has been through a very tough ‘Cyprus’ moment was Jesus.

After a night of unjustified arrest, interrogation, false accusations, severe physical chastisement and verbal abuse, he was sentenced to death, crucified on a cross, naked and in agony.

To add insult to injury, not only were the religious leaders and Roman soldiers taunting him as he hung apparently helpless on the cross, but one of the thieves who was crucified with him did the same.

In spite of all these provocations, Jesus stuck it out and stayed on the cross until the job was finished.

When I look closer into Jesus’ ordeal, I find that Jesus found strength to go through His ‘Cyprus’ moment by God’s strength.

The night before he was arrested, Jesus spent time praying, and was strengthened by God for the challenge he was about to face.

Are you facing a challenging period?

Do you feel that the right thing to do is to fight through rather than pull away?  You will do well to do what Jesus did in a similar situation…you will do well to pray.

And you don't have to pray alone

We love to pray at Redeemer.

Every Sunday we meet at 9:45am to pray before coffee at 10am.

Every Sunday our prayer team dedicate time to pray with anyone who wants it.

Three times a year we gather for a full evening devoted to prayer for the church and the Borough of Ealing.

WAR AND PEACE: THE LESSON FOR A HANWELLITE

Did you know that the word ‘hipster’ owes its first letter to its roots in Hanwell?

Ok, that’s a completely made-up fact, but now it’s on the internet it will become true somewhere.

And anyone who’s lived in Hanwell for any length of time – like me – would testify to Hanwell’s love of things that hipsters love (despite the surprisingly low hipster visibility here).

So of course, Hanwell loves a good costume drama.

Anything that gives a chance to be transported back to better times is very welcome – especially when those times are in Russia, the country that even left-wingers thought was idealistic.

The recent BBC adaptation of War and Peace has intrinsic magnetism for people from Hanwell.

And I was really pleased with one particular challenge that was communicated through it.

Alert! Very minor spoilers ahead!

The captured aristocrat Pierre finds himself with a peasant with a deep love for life, who shares a crumb of bread, yet ensures Pierre puts salt on it and savours every bite.

The lesson was so important that Pierre’s first meal back home – a delicious-looking steak – makes him pause, cut off a tiny piece of the meat, sprinkle it lovingly with salt and slowly savour each bite.

Why eating bread slowly is important

Slowing the pace down does several things:

1. It creates gratitude. Savouring even a crumb of bread, something you’d normally take for granted, makes you realise how grateful you should be for it – and how much more you should be for the onion bhajis Cinnamon Tree prepared for you on Friday night.
2. It reveals truth. Taking time over something as simple as bread turns it from a meaningless mouthful into the product of a long line of labour, revealing the income streams of sheaf gatherers, grain grinders, lorry drivers, bread mixers, package designers, stock pickers, shelf stackers and till tenderers. Who knew how much of life a simple chunk of bread would reveal?

Why the church should care

Jesus knew the value of eating bread slowly.

He gave few commands in his short ministry, but one was clear: eat bread slowly.

Every Sunday at Redeemer we follow his command.

We take time over eating bread together, as the global church has done for thousands of years.

Why not join us this Sunday?

TWO STORIES THAT COULD IMPACT LEADERS IN EALING

Are you sitting comfortably?

The story about the ginormous spreadsheet

A few years ago I was a trainee on a project with Luis (not his real name either), the manager.

Luis was armed with one of the biggest spreadsheets I've ever seen: six sheets of A3.

He highlighted four rows in yellow pen.

It took a while.

He told me to complete those four lines, then report back to him.

I did the tasks within the next hour or so and brought them to him, and he was angry I'd done it so quickly!

He said I must not have put enough effort in.

So I took it away, did something else for a couple of hours, then sent it to him.

This time, he was happy.

Great! My ordeal was over! Or not...

He highlighted the next four rows, and told me to now complete those.

That left me grumpy.

I like to understand where I'm heading before completing detailed tasks, but Luis was a micromanager.

He wanted to check every detail at each step before delegating the next task.

Another story about the opposite problem

This project was in a technical area I knew nothing about, led by Sarah.

The first time I met Sarah she said to me, 'I hate micromanagement.'

That would normally have been fine - I hate being micromanaged - but I didn't know what I was meant to be doing!

I was muddling along, not doing a very good job - all I needed was for someone to check every detail at each step before delegating the next task.

What I learned about management

Micromanagement is way outside my comfort zone, but it would have helped me in my experience with Sarah.

Different management styles are needed depending on the situation and the people involved.

Good management is so important.

We have a large number of teams at Redeemer that need managing:

• Prayer team leaders
• Meetup leaders and coordinators
• Band leaders
• Redeemer Creatives
• Events team leaders (like for our Carol Services)
• Lots of others

Because of all of them, we're constantly on the lookout for existing and potential managers - and we're committed to investing time, energy and resources in developing them!

Are you, or could you be, a great manager?

To put your hand up as a potential manager, to find out more, or just to say you're interested, please email hello@redeemerlondon.org and come to our next leadership gathering!

A NEW WORLD RECORD FOR EALING?

A friend of mine from Redeemer went and bought the latest book of Guinness World Records recently, and unfortunately I knew it was already out-of-date, thanks to Ben Stiller's selfie stick.

But a world record attempt did catch my eye - the record for the most people to participate in a series of pub quizzes.

Steve Pound MP was at the Star and Anchor in West Ealing to see them participate and raise money for Ealing Food Bank.

Yay Ealing!

But it got me thinking.

People love it when they see something done faster, higher, longer, stronger or better than ever before.

I'm the same; I can't help but admire the highest achievers...and compare myself to them.

I find myself watching The Apprentice and thinking I could do better.

Or watching Masterchef and thinking there's no way I'd get any further than figuring out how to switch the oven on (possibly).

So let me give you a way to be a world record holder.

There are more Sam Isaacsons in the world than you might expect, but there's only one of me.

No-one can be me in the way I can.

I hold the world record for being me, better than anyone else ever has or ever will.

And the same is true for you.

I have an offer for you, and a favour to ask.

And they're both the same thing:

Please come and make a world record attempt with Redeemer this Sunday morning.

Bring yourself, your unique personality and gifts, and let us get to know you, a record breaker.

SINGLE & CONFIDENT PT.1

Ha! I'm not the dating expert! Had you nearly fooled...

I’m the divorced single mum, remember?

A failed marriage to the first Christian man I went out with and single ever since. NOT an expert.

But a couple of years ago, I stumbled upon a video from a dating/life coach that focussed some of the blurry thoughts around relationship and identity I had.

Here’s what Mr. Matthew Hussey, (IMHO, a rather Hugh Dancy-ish lookalike) explains. Breaking down confidence into three levels, he unpacks what it's made of.

Level 1 - Surface: BODY

This is what you look like, sound like, act like. As he says, confidence in this layer can be faked with a great wardrobe and assertive body language...but anyone who knows you well will see through the fakery.

Level 2 - Middle/Lifestyle: MIND

This is made up of your hobbies, interests, work and passions. What you do with your thoughts and energies. How you spend your time, talent and treasure. We all know people who have got this area nailed, and many who haven't (that includes me!)

I'll write about those two layers in later posts, but I think we need to start with...

Level 3 - Core: HEART & SOUL

This is your values system, your core beliefs, your identity, your deepest loves, your purpose for being.

Who you are, and why.

Actually Matthew Hussey doesn't say what I just typed. He says the core layer is the love you have for yourself.

In one way, he's not wrong. God says I'm to love my neighbour as I love myself. So we should love ourselves...and love others with as much passion and enthusiasm as we do our own selves.

Taken too far though, self-love takes over and harms others, purposefully or not.

But not everyone loves themselves. Some hate themselves, often because they've been hurt and trodden down by those meant to love them....or they've built up a picture of themselves that's false, as this Dove ad clearly shows.

And that's wrong too! If God makes a creature, declares it beautiful and lovable, so much so that he's willing to die for it, what right does that creature have to say it's unlovable and ugly?

And if you don't love yourself, how are you meant to love others well?

So here's my question: can we love well without knowing who we are?

I believe not. The Bible is quite clear about this:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. Love your neighbour as you love yourself.  Luke 10:27

You need to know who you are. 

Hence why I renamed the third level 'HEART & SOUL'. Our souls are the core, the wellspring, the source, the seat, the essence of who we are. When we know 'the Lord our God' and as a result, who we are - everything clicks into place. When our souls are full, without lack, very little can crush or shake us. We love ourselves properly and love others much better.

---

What does that have to do with being single?

So much of our search for the perfect relationship is looking to satisfy the lack in our lives.

Lack of friendship, understanding, stimulation, identity, affirmation, fun, admiration, shared interests, security, affection or sex.

Fed up of trying to complete ourselves, we long to hand over this weary task...a relationship seems the perfect answer! Along comes a new person who's interesting and interested and, tada! "The job is now yours, love" (or honey or darling or sweetheart).

And it works.

Our darlings, knowingly or unknowingly, begin the job of filling up where we've been lacking...

Cuddles, laughter, fun days out, deep chats, in-jokes, quiet companionship, teamwork, sexual stimulation, gifts, security, compliments, ego strokes, character exploration, shared wonder, comfortable silences.

It's all good and pleasant, like butter sinking into a warm crumpet.

It's the way God intended marriage to be: beautiful, sacrificial and mutually satisfying. 

But wait!

What about the ones who never find their darlings? Or those whose love walks away after 10 years? Or those whose soulmate dies? What happens to them?

Well, this is where those layers come back into play - unless that soul layer is solid, unless you know who you are and why you're here, what your purpose is - being alone may crush you and define you. It can become who you are.

I AM DIVORCED. I AM SINGLE. I AM WIDOWED. I AM LONELY. I AM ALONE.

But if you allow Jesus to fill you, to love you, to give you confidence, to satisfy the lack you feel, to be the spiritual butter sinking into your crumpety holes; you might feel lonely, sad, depressed, unloved by humans...BUT IT WILL NOT BECOME WHO YOU ARE.

Single, married, divorced, widowed or awaiting proposal, if your confidence is in Jesus, your relationship status will not ultimately define you.

Jesus has declared his love for you and wants you for his own. He knows you better than you know yourself.

Let him satisfy your lack.

Let him define who you are.

Come and find out more at the Meetup I'm leading - Who do you think you are?

Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for the next in this series...

WHAT TRAINSPOTTING IN EALING HAS TAUGHT ME

Embarrassing story alert...

I was enjoying a rare evening out with Mark and without kids, celebrating a friend's birthday. Imagine the scene: Prosecco, laughter and conversation...until I suddenly announce, “TRAIN!!” in an extremely excitable and rather loud voice - I'd seen one pass along a bridge over the Thames.

The group suddenly became silent - before erupting in laughter. “Typical mum of boys,” one person said; “Abi, you actually sound like you are excited!” said another.

Let me give you a glimpse into my daily life...

Since being on maternity leave with my second child, I'm enjoying West Ealing train station.

I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I walk there almost every day with the boys. We watch the trains from the bridge as they pass underneath us.

Fast trains, slow trains, noisy trains, quiet trains, diesel trains, electric trains, airport trains, Paddington trains, cargo trains...and best of all, trains with cars on!

My two year old has had this obsession for a while and I am loving every minute of it.

When I was a child, I wanted to be a train driver when I grew up. I even had a train simulator game on a floppy disc for my computer!

My husband is the biggest Crossrail geek I know. He likes to drop it into conversation daily!

But it's not just about trains...

I never realised how much an excitable toddler, waiting for daddy at commuter time, would open the door to so many conversations with people in our surrounding neighbourhood.

• Many people have asked if I'd like a hand carrying my pram down the steps to get on the train.
• The man who works at the station gives me a polite nod and waves at us most days.
• I've had the opportunity in the last month to meet other mums of boys who live on my road - we find ourselves talking about the trains and the best viewing spots (Waitrose car park Crossrail access gate being a favourite).

Through these conversations, I've loved inviting these families into my home for a parent and toddler group.

I'll summarise my ramblings in 5 easy steps...

1. Enjoy the simple things - In this case, trains have led to friendships being formed and community being built.

2. Love being local - Enjoy your surroundings, the people around you and what Ealing has to offer.

3. Talk to your neighbours! Or at least start with a smile and see where it leads.

4. Invite people into your home - Make the first move.

5. Make new friendships - Everyone loves a new friend.

WHAT A MISSING CHILD REVEALS TO EALING PARENTS

APPEAL TO FIND MISSING BOY, AGED 12

The authorities in Jerusalem are appealing for the public's help in locating a missing boy from Nazareth (GALILEE).

Jesus Barjoseph, 12, was last seen near the Susa Gate five days ago. We are concerned for his welfare.

Jesus - described as a serious boy and mature for his age - is olive-skinned, 4' 8" tall, and of slim to medium build with shoulder-length black hair.

He is understood to be wearing a brown and tan tunic and black sandles, carrying a small satchel.

Jesus is familiar with the area around the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives.

His mother, Mary, says, "Jesus, if you read this, please contact us. We are not angry with you, just very anxious."

Jesus also goes by the name 'Son of Man'.

It's scary just how many children go missing each day in the UK alone. MissingKids tells us that a child goes missing every three minutes.

In a country where child abduction and abuse is regularly reported, and Ealing we know is no exception, I can only try to imagine what the parents go through.

My son is now in his 20s. At the time of writing one of his close friends from South Ealing is missing. Last weekend they made plans to meet midweek, but by then he was the subject of a Met Police alert.

His mum and his friends are left in the limbo of anxiety until more news is known.

The emotions of the last few days made the account of Jesus going missing at the age of 12 that much more heart breaking.

Jesus' family

We don't know much about Jesus' childhood. We know he was entrusted to two devout, loving parents. They weren't a wealthy family (the offering sacrificed at his purification rites, 2 doves, was that allowed for those who couldn't afford a lamb). His father, Joseph, was a carpenter, providing for several children. We presume he died before Jesus started his ministry as an adult, as he doesn't get a mention in any of the biographies of Jesus after the 12 year-old Jesus is found.

Luke, the author of one of these biographies, tells us that Jesus' parents had taken him to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover for the first time at the age of 12.  It was an annual trip for them, but this time they took their eldest son. The trip was shared with friends, and the journey back home was planned with the same group.

The journey lasted five days:

1. Mary and Joseph started out back home, confident that Jesus was with their party.  One day out from Jerusalem, they realised he wasn't with the group. Their child had been missing a whole day.
2. They headed back, puzzled, anxious, (more likely distraught) and perhaps a little angry at themselves.
3. Mary and Joseph started searching.
4. And searching.
5. After three days searching they found him. In the temple courts. He was calmly in discussion with the teachers there!

(I know what I would have said to those teachers had I been Joseph.)

Jesus was fine, "safe in his Father's house."

It may make sense to us thanks to thousands of years of hindsight, but Mary and Joseph were confused and upset. And what was Jesus' explanation? "Didn't you know I'd be about my Father's business?" Mary and Joseph didn't understand, and took him back home.

Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man.

I take two lessons away from this account from Luke.

First, God's universal plan asked for his son, Jesus, to lead a typical human life, full of the normal milestones for boys in that society.  This is why it's easy to connect with Jesus; he's been where we are.

However, his priorities were a little different from his peers.  He gave first place to 'his Father's business'.

I have to ask myself, is that the way we live? Do we model that approach to day to day living for our children to follow?

Second, his parents deserve full credit for raising the Messiah as their son.  If this account is anything to go by, it wasn't always easy.

What have you learned?

What would be your biggest parenting lessons? Why not email them in to blog@redeemerlondon.org so we can compile them into a future post?

TWO LESSONS FROM SURVIVING THROUGH HELL

On a very cold Saturday in January I ran a 10mile off-road race called HellRunner. The course took us up and down steep slopes, across sand, through bogs, and into several streams and rivers - one so deep that I could not touch the bottom and had to swim!

At the end of the course I was soaked, filthy, frozen and my knee was bleeding where I had fallen.

I found myself asking why I'd signed up - and even paid for the privilege...well:

• I got a T-shirt

• I received a medal

• I am middle aged and need to prove I can still do these things

• I had a laugh with the three other team members

• I made memories I will never forget

My hell running was a choice. Yours might not be.

Maybe your 2016 has not started well. Perhaps your health has taken a turn for the worse, your job has suddenly stopped, or a relationship has cruelly ended.

Let me share two lessons I learned from the race:

1 Keep on going

When things get hard it's tempting to give up, but the best runners just keep those legs moving.

Keep on going - you will make it in the end.

2 Share the load

Life - even brutally tough life - is more bearable with friends. You shouldn't struggle alone, and you don't need to struggle alone.

As an Ealing resident I so appreciate the friendship and support that I get from Redeemer that encourages me to keep going.

Why not find someone to share the load with this week? Feel free to show up and share your story on a Sunday morning, or sign up for a Meetup before the signup window closes.

LIVE IN EALING? WATCH OUT FOR THE U AND U!

Ealing must be one of the best places to live in the world.

It’s got everything! Huge parks, diverse and delicious food, and an incredible local community.

But living in Ealing brings two huge challenges.

1 Watch out for the Urgent

It doesn’t take much time living in London before your perception of time changes, does it?

An 8-minute delay on the Heathrow Connect almost breaks the internet, as the whole of Ealing Broadway leaps onto the TfL website to work out if the Central line would be quicker.

Deep down we all know 8 minutes isn’t a big deal, but it is fun to live life at full throttle. The problem is, a fast-paced life comes with a massive challenge.

Lots of stuff turns out to be urgent when you’re living fast.

Without even realising it, we end up on other people’s agendas. Think about it:

• When was the last time you started a Facebook/WhatsApp message, or do you only ever find yourself replying to others?
• When was the last time you decided, entirely off your own back, to go and apply for a job you wanted, or did you feel you had to leave, or got a call from a recruiter?
• How are you doing on those New Year’s resolutions you set less than a month ago?

Urgent things distract us from what’s important in life.

2 Watch out for the Unimportant

Probably worse than what’s urgent though, is what’s unimportant.

Let me unburden myself of the things that have filled my time so far today:

• Checked Facebook
• Watched a viral video of someone singing on the tube
• Played a game on my phone
• Read opinion pieces on the Academy Awards and the Premier League
• Caught up on one and a half episodes of Jessica Jones on Netflix
• Checked Facebook
• Read the Wikipedia pages for every main character in Jessica Jones
• Tried to get a photo of my coffee cup so the background was blurry
• Checked Facebook

I also have important things in my life; holding down a job so I can afford to live in Ealing, doing my household chores, spending time with my wife, having fun with my kids…

Surprisingly enough, the important things would benefit from us saying ‘no,’ to a couple more of those unimportant bullet points.

Let’s actually do it

Reading this could very easily turn into a waste of time, so let’s commit today to not get distracted by what’s urgent or what’s unimportant!

Tweet to your friends to tell them you’re planning on doing what’s important in 2016 by clicking here!

WHAT STARTING A NEW JOB IN LONDON TEACHES US ABOUT BEING A CHRISTIAN

Starting a new job can be intimidating.

After many years being part of the furniture in my previous job, I now find myself surrounded by people who know the environment, and each other, really well.

I've started apologising for having to ask where things are in the kitchen, who has the key to the stationery cupboard, who to ask to get business cards sorted, and what number to call for IT.

I still haven't found the quickest route from the tube station.

And working in London brings its own challenges. My new boss is really busy and expects me to be productive even though I've barely finished my first week.

But I've found the answer.

There's one thing that's going to open up opportunities for success here, and it's disappointingly obvious.

Become friends with people.

I know, that's nothing to do with work, but if I'm surrounded by friends, this intimidating scenario flips on its head.

Suddenly, it's easy to ask questions, because they're my friends, and it's just nice to hang out with friends, isn't it?

In business this is called networking. But people hate that word.

If you hate that word, I'm sorry for what I'm about to say: Jesus wants us to be experts at networking.

Jesus said that the single biggest indicator to the world that we know him is that we're best of friends with one another (John 13:35).

Let me encourage you then to make friends!

Two easy ways to do this:

1. Join a Meetup! This one's a #nobrainer. Click here, and register today.
2. Just ask someone to come over for a meal. Or drinks and snacks. Or go out for a coffee. Or go bowling. Or go watch a film. Or go for a walk. Or whatever.

Want friends? Be friendly. And enjoy yourself doing it!

JOURNEY WITH US

 

Watch our first film - an every day journey leading to more than a destination. Accompanied by a hauntingly beautiful track written and performed by the talented, Yvette. Produced by Redeemer Creative. 

CAROLS COLLATED (SPOT THE CAROL)

These three kings of orient are
unfairly competing with one little drummer boy,
all dashing through the snow for the last boughs of holly
to lay them before the King.
 
Meanwhile, three ships come sailing in
and certain poor shepherds leave their hot chestnuts,
all keen to hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace. 
 
Later, in royal David’s city,
there are ladies leaping, pipers piping
and drummers …
drumming, apparently. 
The restless cattle are lowing big-time;
no wonder the baby’s awake.
 
All have come to proclaim the Messiah’s birth:
a king-of-angels baby who out-shines any wondrous star. 
A child born of Mary on this most holy night;
born to give us second birth. 
This is the Saviour who is Christ the Lord,
come to redeem us all.
 
‘Come – receive – your - king.’
 
Merry Christmas.

COME TO THE TABLE

I love eating meals with friends.  I had the pleasure of sharing food with friends at Osteria Del Portio in Ealing one recent Tuesday at an Alpha night, where friends brought out cake to help me celebrate my birthday.  On the following Friday I shared a Chinese Takeaway with friends in their new home, surrounded with packing boxes, on plastic plates and using plastic cutlery – it was wonderful.  Friends make the meal.

At community group we considered the Last Supper when Jesus shared a Passover meal with his closest friends – not a ritual, but part of our relationship with our Saviour.  Afterwards I re-read the accounts of this meal in Mark 14, Luke 22 and John 13.

Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare a guest room – somewhere out of the way for Jesus and his closest companions to recline at table and enjoy each others company.  To sing, drink and eat; to share each others company before taking a walk together in the olive groves.

What strikes me is the eagerness and sense of urgency in Jesus’ words that evening – he was set on conveying important things to his closest friends while he still had time. What also strikes me is the intimacy Jesus enjoyed with those he loved while a man here on earth.

The key message for me however is Jesus’ anticipation of the Kingdom of God – Jesus’ statement that he would not enjoy a drink of wine again until the Kingdom of God comes.  This is what gives the ‘last supper’ such significance.

And now we get to join the disciples down the ages at the Lords Table, to break bread together, as a community.  We come to celebrate his death and to echo the prayer He taught us, ‘Thy Kingdom Come’.  It’s a wonderful opportunity to commune together and to commune with Jesus.  I invite you to join us. 

Come to the Table

Come, we have a guest room
where you can recline with your servant king.
He will bathe your sore, dusty feet;
and you can rest.

Come, commune; join his other friends
and together give thanks, sing hymns
and toast the coming Kingdom.

Come to the table with honest hearts.
Come and find mercy, 
find forgiveness and new purpose.

Come, celebrate the covenant
that confers on us a Kingdom,
bought by the blood
of the one who came to serve.

Do this in remembrance. 
Do this with eagerness. 
And when you pray say, 
‘Thy Kingdom Come’.

DIRECTIONS TO REDEEMER

Here’s everything you need to know about finding our Sunday venue Ealing Town Hall…

Nearest Tube Station Ealing Broadway
Turn left at the top of the stairs out of the tube exit and walk down the hill towards the Uxbridge Road. Cross over the road and walk up the main high street on the right-hand side of the road. keep going for 5 mins & you’ll eventually see the Town Hall appearing on the horizon (don’t worry it’s not that far… 5 min walk at the most!). Once at Ealing Town Hall look for our signs and the friendly faces on the door.

Bus Routes
Buses that run right by the town hall are… 83 65 207 427 607 E8 E11 E7… all stop directly outside Ealing Town Hall.

Traveling by car
There’s a car park behind the Town Hall next to Perceval House which costs £2. That’s for the whole day, so you could go to one of Ealing’s great restaurants or shops after the meeting if you fancied it. There’s also free parking on the residential streets behind the Town Hall (Gordon Rd) and on the Uxbridge Road. Just be sure to check the parking restrictions since each street can be slightly different.

Address
Ealing Town Hall, 
New Broadway, 
Ealing, 
London, 
W5 2BY