Golgotha Monologues - Soldier

It was great to see so many people at our Good Friday meeting on zoom this morning! If you weren’t able to join us, or you simply wanted to read them again, we will be posting all four of our monologues from this morning on the blog today! The monologues help to convey the feelings of four people mentioned in John 19.

Our second monologue is from the perspective of a soldier…

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I really REALLY hate this job

Years of training, promises that’ll serve Caesar ‘for the glory of Rome!’ and see the world 

– and I end up in this God-forsaken, stinking, armpit of a country, populated by mad men.  

[SIGH]

Here we go again – bigger crowd than usual I see – oh that’s great, another messiah to crucify.  Will they ever learn?  

Well, that makes a change, even his own lot seem to be against him, they’re usually chanting, weeping or whaling by the time they get here, not jeering and calling for blood.  Like I said – mad men!

Yes, boss, straight away.

Up you come, matey.  This is your cross to bear.  

Move!  You know you only have yourself to blame – you brought this on yourself - 

Stand back you lot, give the man room.  We’re on a schedule. 

Right, boss.

Come on, Fix, you’re with me – let’s get this done.  Claud, Jules, you know the drill, do it like we practiced – tie him securely, one nail in each lower arm, one though the feet. 

Oh, just Ignore him, hold him firm, one of yer hold the arm and the other take the nail.  That’s right, one swift movement, do it right first time - it’ll be enough to hold him.    

Claud, get a hold of yourself, its only blood.  Be professional – there’s a crowd watching.  

Where’s that notice board, what’s to be written here?  What’s the charge, boss?  

Is that meant to be funny?  No, I didn’t mean anything by it, if that’s what Pilate wants, here you go, “JESUS – OF – NAZ -A -RETH.   - THE - KING - OF - THE - JEWS.“ 

What – no mate, I’m not re-writing anything – it is what is it.   THE KING OF THE JEWS – what’s written is written. 

Fix – do you think the boss is behaving a bit strange?  He seems a little distracted.

Never mind.  Okay – here Fix, it’s your turn to divi up his stuff.  Hang on, no don’t rip that – look, it’s quality, seamless.  Throw the dice for that one.  

Jules, keep an eye on those women.  No, they can chat to him, but no touching the cross.

Yeah, okay, but they use the sponge – and only wine vinegar – he won’t be needing decent wine where he’s going.

Right, boss, we’re done, we’ll settle in for the wait – this may take a while.  

… What’s that he said? “Finished!?!”  Hah, don’t you wish.   It’s nowhere finished for you lad – you’ve got a world of pain coming before you can shuffle off.  

Sorry boss.  Disrespect?  Come on , he’s just a – No, of course, no, no … sorry.

Blimey Fix, I think the boss has been here too long, he’s saying some strange stuff.

…. What do you mean he’s gone.  It’s only been a few hours.  

Show me – no give it here, I’ll do it.  

… Well, he is dead.  No, no need to break his legs, he’s finished. 

That doesn’t make sense – I know my job, 

• Did he just decide to die? 

• Who’s in charge here – Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, or me?

• Who has the authority here?  This Jesus or us?  

WILL YOU SHUT THOSE WOMEN UP!  I can’t think.

Listen, Fix, let’s keep quiet about this – we’ve got a reputation to maintain.

What?  Now boss, calm down.  Listen to yourself – I know he died a bit different than expected – but the Son of God?  Boss, are those tears? 

I don’t know, Fix – this has got too weird.  

I REALLY hate this job.

Written by Steve Page

Golgotha Monologues - Pilate

It was great to see so many people at our Good Friday meeting on zoom this morning! If you weren’t able to join us, or you simply wanted to read them again, we will be posting all four of our monologues from this morning on the blog today! The monologues help to convey the feelings of four people mentioned in John 19.

Our first monologue is from the perspective of Pilate…

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Stepping outside was the mistake.

Greeting those Jews, just part of the job, but there I was...outside my palace...and there they were...and there...he was. Surrounded by his accusers and his governor...(that’s me)...yet wearing a calmer expression than all of us, as if he were Caesar himself, about to step onto his chariot for a lap of victory.

Resigned to his destiny...but not intimidated by it.

“Not my problem!” was the line I took, but they would not take the bait.

And neither would he, even in the face of his governor, the one holding his future in the palm of my hand! And so I choose…compassion.

A rare show of true justice and mercy.

Praise be to Pilate.

...

I did what I had done many times before. A carefully crafted question, creating a collaborative truth we could step into together: “Your kingdom accuses you, so step into mine.”

And yet the man will not bow to a convenient “truth”:

King of everything, more than King of the Jews.

So what else can I do? The man who came in as an inconvenience for the priests, themselves an inconvenience for me, places himself as my enemy.

I attempted mercy.

But my justice is justified. A swift flogging, mock the king of fools, and think no more about it.

“Problem solved!” I think and I say…but they disagree.

“Crucify him!” their reply.

Really? A bit of roughing up I can do, but surely this lunatic doesn’t deserve death…certainly not like that. I’ll try a different tack.

“Not my problem.”

But in their eyes I should be the solution, and that was the moment...the fear set in.

I was too far gone.

I should have never admitted his guilt.

I should have never spoken to him in the first place.

I should have never granted those religious fools an audience.

And this time the man won’t even respond except to bring his God in, and...perhaps offer me a way out of this mess.

“Right!” I demand of the accusers, a newfound courage filling my lungs. “I’m governor, and I say he’s going free.”

But what does a person do when his livelihood is threatened?

The fear grows in me: am I more afraid of Caesar, or of God?

I am trapped. It’s my job security or his life, and so I double down. If I will be saved by his being crucified, then I will do it the right way.

I will sit on the judgement seat.

I will write his inscription.

And let that be an end to it.

What was I to do?

Should I have sacrificed everything I’ve worked for, for the name of this Jesus?

I’m sure I’ve made other compromises anyway. What’s one more?

Written by Sam Isaacson

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We know there were some audio issues with this monologue, so the video is below for those who wish to watch it again!

Covid-19 - Grief, Anxiety & Prayer

I’ve been thinking about my feelings and emotions quite a lot in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis. It’s something I always try to be mindful of but this pandemic has really heightened the daily process of trying to pinpoint how I feel. Naming my emotions doesn’t always come naturally to me, however grief and anxiety about the future were two things that came to mind, and I’m pretty sure these feelings aren’t unique to me.

Grief is a strong word, but in this time we have all lost much, be it big or small. Not just the obvious loss of life, but I’ve been particularly shaken by the impact this has had on jobs, businesses and people’s livelihoods. I’m also grieving the loss of community; friends who we spend time with regularly, church, family gatherings, coffee dates and people round for dinner in the evenings. I’m grieving the loss of ‘normal’ life and the way it used to look for us.

And then there’s anxiety - an emotion that sadly I’m pretty familiar with and have battled with before - that physical feeling of apprehension about what is to come. When will it end? How many will die? How many will lose their jobs? When will I be able to go to a shop without worrying what I’m touching, or go for a walk in the park without keeping 2 metres away from the person coming the other way? I think it’s the unknown in so many of these things that makes the fear really amplified; it allows the imagination to run wild.

As I pondered these things I felt somewhat guilty for feeling them. Doesn’t God have the answers to all these things? Should I even be feeling this? I was almost immediately reminded of two instances in Jesus’ life where he experienced these similar emotions.

The first was Jesus’ expression of grief after Lazarus died in John 11:35 where ‘Jesus wept.’ He shares in the grief of Lazarus’ friends and family even though he knows that moments later he will raise Lazarus from the dead. He doesn’t deny the emotion of that moment in spite of this. It is ok that we grieve, and feel sad about what we have lost, even though we trust and hope in what God can do next.

The second instance was Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane where he expresses anguish in anticipation of going to the cross, asking God if there is any other way (Luke 22:39-46). He prays in such earnest that he sweats blood. It is ok that we look ahead in anticipation of the next weeks and months and feel anguish and uncertainty. 

In both these situations Jesus expresses strong emotions. But he also follows each with the same response. He goes to the Father in prayer. The first time asking for a miracle for the situation they were in; the second time asking for God’s strength and for his will to be done, returning in prayer several times until he receives what he needs from God. It is ok that we feel emotion but that doesn’t take away from the fact that we should go to God in prayer. And going to God in prayer also doesn’t mean that these emotions will simply vanish immediately. As someone who sees much of life in black and white holding these things in tension isn’t easy for me. I tend to think that I should either feel emotion or pray. I'm learning, as Jesus did, to express what I’m feeling to God in prayer, knowing I can return to him again and again, as many times as I need.

As a Redeemer church family we're going to be ‘meeting’ virtually to pray every Wednesday evening which will serve as a great opportunity for us together to bring everything we’re going through and feeling in this season to God; hope to see you there!

Sarah Montgomery-Taylor

Easter - A Change in Perspective

I shall never forget spending Easter with my sister, at my gran’s. 

Even though I was only ten years old and my sister was nine (which was many years ago), we still remember it clearly!  Why? 

• Was it because she spoiled us with her home cooking?  

• Was it because we were allowed to do fun things we weren’t allowed to do at home?

No!  In fact my sister and I were not allowed to do ANYTHING!!  Except pray, of course… After all, this was Holy Week…

On Good Friday we spent the whole day indoors, being reminded not to raise our voices and keep a solemn quiet! At 2.30pm our gran turned on the radio and we all sat together round her little table and listened intently to it. The speaker described the passion and crucifixion of Jesus in such detail and so vividly, that Marie and I could not stop bawling our eyes out! Our gran was so pleased that she said we could have something light to eat after 6pm!

Since the last time any food had passed our young lips was 10am, we were thrilled…

Well, on reflection maybe that isn’t the best way to explain Easter to young children, but our grandmother, a strict, staunch, traditional Catholic, obviously didn’t know any better. I like to think that God knew her heart though…

Since then, I’m glad to say, my perception of Easter has changed, as has its focus. 

Yes, I do still remember the pain endured on that terrible cross by Jesus, but I also know the real reason for it being known as ‘GOOD Friday’.  Because on that cross Jesus paid the penalty for my sin, dying in my place so that I, a sinner, can now stand before God the Father and be declared innocent!  (Romans 6:23 says, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.)

So that was indeed a GOOD Friday!

And it doesn’t stop there… after Friday came Saturday and then Sunday – EASTER SUNDAY - the greatest day of all for fallen humanity!

For not only did Jesus Christ die for me and you, but He was raised to life again on that Sunday!  And because He lives, I too am assured of everlasting life with Him when I die! 

Wow! It can’t get better than that! 

Death has been defeated and our King is now reigning victorious!  As the apostle Paul says ‘Death, where is your victory; where is your sting?’ (1 Cor 15:55)  

It’s gone!

So now when I think of Easter I can’t sit quietly as my gran would have wanted.  I rejoice.  I celebrate together with millions of other people throughout the world who understand that the unimaginable happened on that Easter Day over 2,000 years ago -  The sinner gets set free, the gates of heaven are opened wide.  The Father welcomes us with open arms!  I shall be there one day – 

How about you?  What’s your perception of Easter?

A time of solemnity? Or a time to rejoice?  

If you’d like a new perspective – please join us at Redeemer London this Easter.  You’ll find people for whom death holds no fear - because Jesus’ death changed everything for us.  

Adele Dabrowski

Light v Darkness

Palm Sunday. A story about a jubilant crowd welcoming Jesus on a donkey. We could mistakenly think this is Jesus's happiest day on earth.

A day earlier, Jesus calls his friend Lazarus out of a grave, a man who is dead for days comes back to life! A wailing party turns into a celebration. People loved this version of Jesus, his God-power on full display. Here he finally was: the Messiah. News spreads like wildfire. "Jesus, the Messiah?" the Pharisees ask enraged, "we've got to put this rumour to rest"; they even plan to murder Lazarus. 

As night falls over the land, powerful people brood over deadly plots. Jesus needs to die. 

Instead of laying low, Jesus makes his biggest appearance yet. As prophesied, right in the heart of God's chosen country, in Jerusalem. The religious power hub. 

Rumours that Jesus is approaching the city draws everyone out onto the streets. The Holy City is teeming with people. 

Knowing scripture, Jesus sends his disciples ahead of him, two with a special mission, to find a donkey's foal for their master. They find the donkey and bring it to Jesus. 

Riding on a donkey, heavy with symbolism, Jesus slowly enters Jerusalem and the crowd goes wild. They sing, "Praise God! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord! God bless the King of Israel!" As Jesus passes through a palm waving crowd, he sees pure joy on people's faces. Suddenly his gaze lands on a group of grim, tight-mouthed pharisees. Angrily they demand, "Jesus, make them stop!" Jesus counters, if they shut the people up, the rocks would praise him. Infuriated the religious elite disappears, fuelled by rage, they will find the cruellest way imaginable to get rid of Jesus.

The cheering crowd continues their chants, laying down their palm branches for Jesus's donkey to walk on. A royal welcome. The disciples are overjoyed, finally their day of triumph has come! They look back at Jesus, fully expecting a solemn or joyous expression on his face. Instead, Jesus weeps. He cries for this crowd of the lost. Jesus knows these adoring songs will soon turn into angry shouts, "Crucify him!"

He knows the hearts of people. How fickle we are. He knows even his friends, now proudly marching by his side, will abandon him.

In the bright light of day, everything looks as if Jesus has come to take his seat of power. Jerusalem is lying at his feet. But soon they will be at the feet of a cross, taunting him. A mocking sign above his bloodied head will say, "Jesus, King of the Jews" 

Knowing the true spirit of people, Jesus rides into Jerusalem with eyes wide open. Despite this, he is ready and willing to die for each and every one of them. 

Pure love has come to town. Worship him.

God Is Amazing

God is amazing.

This doesn’t seem like too big of a statement to make at the beginning of a Christian blog post, but surprisingly, even as someone who has been a Christian for over a decade, it is something that I still find myself saying every time I am intentional about spending time with God.

He really is spectacular, wonderful, inspiring, mind-blowing, powerful, merciful, gracious, the list goes on. Every time I actually sit down and spend time with him (which is not often enough), more of his character is revealed to me, and it blows me away.

The Psalmists tend to agree, as is written in Psalm 139:17 - “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” 

During this time where the pace of your life may have slowed a little, I would encourage you to be more intentional about spending time studying the word of God, spending time with him, exploring the mysteries and wonders of his love, grace and mercy towards you. You will not be disappointed.

'Take this opportunity to read more......'

As you will no doubt be aware, the recent covid-19 outbreak has changed everyone’s lives to a greater and a lesser extent. As a church we know that many members of our family will be self-isolating, working from home, or practicing social distancing over the coming weeks. We are hoping that through a series of blogs we can encourage you, and others who might be reading these blogs, to fix your eyes on Jesus, and respond to the crisis in a way which honours his will for our lives.

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One of my new year’s resolutions this year was to read more, and given that I am currently consigned to my house for the near future, I am hoping not to turn to the nearest screen and see how much of Netflix’s back catalogue I can get through, but instead to actually act on my resolution!

This has not been as easy as I thought, as there is still lots going on in my life, and many things I need to be doing to make sure church still happens (albeit online) on a Sunday morning! But one thing that’s helpful is the many deals which have subsequently appeared on book selling websites! So, if you, like me are using this time to try and read more, then detailed below is many ways in which you can pick up your next page turner for free (or at least at a discount).

First up, Audible, who recently released the following statement on their website:

For as long as schools are closed, we're open. Starting today, kids everywhere can instantly stream an incredible collection of stories, including titles across six different languages, that will help them continue dreaming, learning, and just being kids.
All stories are free to stream on your desktop, laptop, phone or tablet.
Explore the collection, select a title and start listening.
It's that easy.

Their titles are varied depending on age, but include stories from Beatrix Potter, A.A. Milne, and Rudyard Kipling, as well as C.S. Lewis’ ‘The Screwtape Letters’, and classics like Frankenstein, Jane Eyre and Romeo and Juliet.

There are also a number of titles available for $4.99 on LifeWay, such as ‘Steadfast Love: The Response of God to the cries of our Heart’ by Lauren Chandler, and ‘Running From Mercy: Jonah and the Surprising Story of God’s Unstoppable Grace’. LifeWay is also offering their Gospel Project curriculum for free during this time, which is the resource we use for our kids work on a Sunday morning.

Crossway is also offering the basic subscription plan on ESV.org for free until the 31st of May 2020. With the plan you can access 9 different study bibles, the Greek New Testament, and the ‘Knowing the Bible study series’ which covers every book in the bible across 45 volumes.

Most books at The Good Book Company are also discounted up to 40% off, books such as ‘Where Is God in a Coronavirus World’ by John Lennox, and ‘The Friend Who Forgives: A True Story about How Peter Failed and Jesus Forgave’ by Dan DeWitt.

Finally, Moody (A Christian book publisher) is also offering several of it’s titles at 50% off, including The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. While everything on the site is at least 40% off until the end of March.

So, if you’re looking to get into reading during your time of self-isolation, or if you have always been a lover of books, there’s lots out there for you!

A Bruised Reed Walking

As you will no doubt be aware, the recent covid-19 outbreak has changed everyone’s lives to a greater and a lesser extent. As a church we know that many members of our family will be self-isolating, working from home, or practicing social distancing over the coming weeks. We are hoping that through a series of blogs we can encourage you, and others who might be reading these blogs, to fix your eyes on Jesus, and respond to the crisis in a way which honours his will for our lives.

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Father, I need a break -
I step outside to clear my head.
the cold wind grips me, and I shiver
quickening my step, I feel it push back
it is a spring evening, normally streets are busy, but there is not a car in sight
few busses pass by, fewer passengers inside
people rush in and out of a 7/11 shop
I hear arguing in houses and on streets
the atmosphere is tense
our neighbourhood still has empty newbuilds
but it's in the middle of two estates,
I love this part of town, its people, its flavours, normally teaming with life
I walk past an elderly lady, carefully measuring her steps
a man hurries past, face covered deep under a hoodie
together we fight an invisible enemy
we help each other by keeping a distance

Lord, how is life going to continue?
Rumours spreading on social media
Fear creeping into feeds
Fact and fiction mingling, people keep sharing
Worries fill my mind

Then I turn a corner, what I see takes my breath away
out of nothing, a beautiful evening sky appears
orange, pink and purple light on fluffy clouds
it is marvellous, "I made heaven and earth" a voice pops into my consciousness
Thank you, God

I cross the road and notice sounds are softer near the canal
Instead of barking dogs and arguments, birds sing their eve songs
Cherry blossoms, strangely bright in this light
"Peace, I give you" the still little voice continues
I breathe in deeply, the wind tastes fresh
Warmth is spreading through my body as my muscles move
A tree boasts tender shoots on every branch
"I promise, there will be better days"
As nature holds its breath during winter, we too hold our breath
This spring seems to be delaying its relief
But we are invited to breathe freely, keep a clear head.
"Am I not in charge?" God's voice asks quietly
Crises come and go, people seem to forget
"Nothing new under the sun"
"Be courageous and strong. Do not be afraid"

These are exceptional times, but people tend to be the same
The ones who take more than they need, have always done so
Affluence and greed, another more subtle pandemic
Others serve their communities, and have always done so,

A less appreciated contagion
On a daily televised government status update, the Chancellor said, "We will remember how we took care of each other"
Coronavirus is a chance
What is my priority, my personal comfort or the public good?
"What you have done to the least of these, you did to me"
Jesus cares about our behaviour towards those in need, 
he identifies with them, he IS them.

As the sky loses its evening spectacle glow,
I head back home with a clearer vision for our community.
Covid 19 or not, “A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice” 
Isaiah 42:3

A Lent of Greater Faith

As you will no doubt be aware, the recent covid-19 outbreak has changed everyone’s lives to a greater and a lesser extent. As a church we know that many members of our family will be self-isolating, working from home, or practicing social distancing over the coming weeks. We are hoping that through a series of blogs we can encourage you, and others who might be reading these blogs, to fix your eyes on Jesus, and respond to the crisis in a way which honours his will for our lives.

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I didn’t plan to write this blog.

I began writing a piece for Lent about us not just focussing on what we are giving up, but also asking ourselves what we are taking on this Lent - what challenges, changes, crosses and contributions we’ll be taking on to serve our households, church family, community and God.

But then COVID-19 happened.  

And as I wrote this new blog, I think God brought me back to the same place. 

Our prayer and God’s protection

During such testing times as these, I’ve found it helpful to listen to on-line bible studies, encouraging us to pray with confidence, exercising our faith and trusting God like never before.  We don’t know what the future holds for us, but we know a God who does.  

The Psalms provide powerful words of faith as well as heart-felt cries to God.  In the face of current public health crisis Psalm 91 is perfect, particularly because it calls upon the Lord for protection over pestilence and I highly recommend that we take those promises and incorporate them into our prayers for ourselves, family, friends & neighbours.

We are not immune, it’s true, but God makes all things possible. If Christ can raise the dead, if the Apostles can cast out demons, if my faith can move mountains, then our God through the Holy Spirit, in the Name of Jesus, can protect us.

Fear or faith 

Jesus was very clear: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).  So, now, as never before, ask, seek, knock – be persistent in prayer with faith in God, who stands with us.  

Now, spiritual faith can work with practical common sense, so yes, we take precautions, we are careful to not socialise, we wash our hands, we follow government and health guidelines, but we do it with faith not fear – that’s the difference! “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

A Lent of greater faith

So how does this relate to what we give up for Lent and what we take on for Lent? Well, I say that we let go of fear and take on even greater faith. I advise prayer over panic, declaring life over accepting death. Choose to live in truth rather than live overwhelmed by the daily news. 

People may well continue to fall ill – fact.  The truth is that God is with us in times of trouble, He delivers us and honours us. With long life He will satisfy us and show us His salvation (Psalm 91).  

Daily life has been thrown off course – fact. The truth is that we have life from someone who is life (John 11:25).

It is evident in the Bible that our God is incredibly intentional; everything serves a purpose, there is a plan and His timing is unique, critical and perfect, whether we understand it or not. He is faithful! So let us be too.  Let us sing Hosanna on Palm Sunday, sing thanks to Christ on Good Friday and raise the roof with the Holy Spirit come Easter Sunday - without fear, but with courage, love and truth.  

The cross came before the crown and I hope that we all feel encouraged at this time, and at all times, because though there may be weeping in the night, rejoicing comes in the morning (Psalm 30) and God will make our cause shine like the noon day sun (Psalm 37) – God’s words, not mine.

Lent’s soundtrack

If this blog had a soundtrack, it would feature:

• Yes & Amen - Housefires

• Way maker - Sinach

• Take a moment – United Pursuit

Now, let’s end with some hashtags shall we… it’s a blog after-all

#FaithOverFear 

#PrayerNotPanic 

#YesAndAmen

Peace be with you & God bless you,

Pamela 

Curse or Blessing?

As you will no doubt be aware, the recent covid-19 outbreak has changed everyone’s lives to a greater and a lesser extent. As a church we know that many members of our family will be self-isolating, working from home, or practicing social distancing over the coming weeks. We are hoping that through a series of blogs we can encourage you, and others who might be reading these blogs, to fix your eyes on Jesus, and respond to the crisis in a way which honours his will for our lives.

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I am self isolating. I like to believe that I don’t look (or act) anywhere near my age! But the fact is that I am 71 and I am suddenly in the ‘vulnerable’ group.  Even worse, I have a cough.  To be honest, I have had coughing bouts on and off for years now, but at this time a persistent cough is the worst thing you can have!

Being a sociable person, I am used to meeting people all the time, attending church meetings, praying for people at home etc.  Now I suddenly cannot do that anymore.  So I have two options –  I can stay at home and sulk and complain. Or I can decide to ignore the Government’s strong advice and go about my business as usual, possibly get infected and take up precious hospital beds which are needed by others.

As a Christian I need to ask myself – what would Jesus do?  

Well, first of all, Jesus loved people.

He cared for the marginalised, the poor, the widow and the sick!  He considered their wellbeing.  The bible tells us that true religion is caring for the widows and orphans (James 1:27). So am I caring for these if I put myself and them at risk?  The answer must be ‘no!’ 

So neither of the options above seem like a good option, well fortunately I believe that there is a third way, which I believe is the most pleasing to Jesus.

The Bible says that every day is a gift from God!  Let’s treat it as such, wherever we are – at work or at home.  It doesn’t matter, whatever we do, we do it as to the Lord, knowing that from Him we shall receive a rich reward for our labour. 

There are actually many advantages to being at home, thanks to modern technology.  There is the opportunity to have prayer and chats face to face on Whatsapp, Skype, Zoom or whatever!  Continue to regularly ‘meet’ with your groups.  Today I had an incredible time on Whatsapp with a bible study group member – we read the Bible together, worshipped and prayed together!  The presence of the Lord was right there!  We both felt really uplifted and are already looking forward to next week, when I hope to get the Skype up and running for the other three members of the group so that we can all join in and be blessed.

God is not bound by walls, or distance!  If we invite the Holy Spirit to come into our situation, He will move! No matter where or how!

And now I am also looking forward to finally reading through all those books that have been sitting on my shelves for years! looking through and sorting out my photos and my files, chatting to extended family on the phone, and ringing all those friends I haven’t got round to speaking to for years, bringing them a word of hope and encouragement. Writing that short story I have been hoping to do for years, painting my old dining room chairs, possibly even sewing some new covers for my cushions… 

And, of course… spending more time with the Lord Jesus, without having to rush off somewhere, and reading the Bible more slowly!

It’s certainly not going to be boring. Those of us in isolation can be excited about the opportunity God is giving us to be more available to Him than ever before!

I’m looking forward to it!  What about you? 

The Great Leveller

As you will no doubt be aware, the recent covid-19 outbreak has changed everyone’s lives to a greater and a lesser extent. As a church we know that many members of our family will be self-isolating, working from home, or practicing social distancing over the coming weeks. We are hoping that through a series of blogs we can encourage you, and others who might be reading these blogs, to fix your eyes on Jesus, and respond to the crisis in a way which honours his will for our lives.

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Lord Hennessy, a historian, referred to the Corona Virus as a great leveller in that the virus is no respecter of social status, race, gender, ability, wealth, etc.

Irrespective of who you are, the virus and the associated social shutdown impacts us all.

He also speculated about how PhD students of the future will regard our society and how we responded to the challenges posed by the virus.  

So let’s give them something positive to talk about.

I’ve seen blogs with suggestions as to how we can make working from home happier and healthier – all suggestions have been welcome.   

But how can we help each other?

My daughter saw a woman giving bottles of hand sanitiser to fellow commuters and a lady holding a sign giving her phone number asking people to contact her if they need support.  I’m not advocating that last one, but it set me wondering, what can we do for work colleagues and for neighbours who are coping with the same pressures right now.

• We can keep in touch with those we usually work along side – not just team conference calls, but on a one to one basis too.

• We can share coping tips – both with work colleagues and neighbours.

• Try turning the usual half-felt enquiry (“How you doing, alright?”) into a more searching question – “How you doing today?” – and wait for a real answer.  If in doubt, ask twice. 

• Support local businesses by shopping in smaller independent shops – they seem to better stocked that the supermarkets in any case.

• Support your local Food bank – details here.

And ring your mum – she worries about you. 

One day we’ll all be featured in a PhD dissertation (probably several); I’d like to think we come out looking good. 

Covid-19 - An Opportunity for Generosity

As you will no doubt be aware, the recent covid-19 outbreak has changed everyone’s lives to a greater and a lesser extent. As a church we know that many members of our family will be self-isolating, working from home, or practicing social distancing over the coming weeks. We are hoping that through a series of blogs we can encourage you, and others who might be reading these blogs, to fix your eyes on Jesus, and respond to the crisis in a way which honours his will for our lives.

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In the last 24 hours many of us will have made decisions to work from home, to cancel social events, and to refrain from travelling to visit friends and family in other parts of the country. These actions are in response to government advice which seeks to ‘flatten the curve’ of the coronavirus outbreak, limiting its effects on the health of the general public. But the physical health of members of our church family is not the only thing we need to be concerned about.

The crisis will also have a significant effect on many people’s finances, and as Christians it is important that we step up and support those who are impacted by the virus in this way too. As any church should, we choose to look to the very first church in the book of Acts, for guidance as what to do in these situations. This is my challenge to you today, does your generosity towards others in your community look like the church in Acts? They had everything in common as a church (Acts 2:42-47), they sold land to give to the poor (Acts 4:32-5:10), they distributed food amongst their community (Acts 6:1-7). Your actions may look different to this, but I think you would agree that in times like this it is crucial that we stand up and follow the example of the early church.

It is so crucial to not only change our social behaviour to keep the vulnerable amongst us safe, but to also change our economic behaviour too. This is an opportunity to be known as a church for our love, which will in turn draw others to us and give us an opportunity to preach the gospel, just as it did for the church in Acts.

So, how can you be generous today?

I’ll leave you with a verse which though written to a church over 1000 years ago, speaks directly to us today.

In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

2 Corinthians 8:2

This blog was inspired by a similar one on thegospelcoaltion.org which you can read HERE

A Greater Lent

A week ago Shrove Tuesday marked the beginning of lent, and as we look forward to Easter here at Redeemer we’ll be publishing a series of blogs produced by Redeemer Creatives, the first of which comes courtesy of our resident poet, Steve Page.

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A Greater Lent

Lord, save me from empty lent abstinence 
Protect me from light hearted choco-resistance 
And stir in me a longer lasting adherence 
A dig down deeper resonance 
That falls in step with your insistence 
to follow a path of greater resilience.

Lord, save me from a temporary temperance 
And lend me your eternal Spirit of endurance 
That I might take this lent as a growth accelerant 
And so come to stand a little closer
to your post-Easter presence.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

The Message of Malachi - A New Preaching series at Redeemer

Elie Wiesel was a Romanian-born American writer, political activist, and Holocaust survivor, he said: “The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” 

One of the dangers in our modern fast paced world is that our brains are bombarded with vast amounts of information and data. We receive news about issues from around the world: natural disasters and football results, murder and videos of performing cats. We struggle to differentiate between the vital and the humorous.

I personally can become a great spectator, one who watches and expresses an opinion; I have never missed a penalty from the comfort of my armchair. Yet as quickly as the information comes it is replaced by more and more, faster and faster. I may have been moved the first time I heard and saw the bad news but I get de-sensitised with every viewing.

I have often felt challenged by the quote attributed to Edmund Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”  I believe this is why many around the world have applauded the actions of Greta Thunberg, the 17 year old Swedish school girl who misses school on “Fridays for future’ and as she travels the world to lecture leaders due to her concern for the environment.

Malachi was a man, approx 2,500 years ago, who also brought a message - “you are half-hearted and making a mess of life!” His listeners were not actively doing wrong but they were also not passionately doing what was right. The disappointments of life had worn them down to become spectators in a game they should have been playing.

The best thing about Malachi’s message, which he believed was from God, is that before the hearers were expected to change their behaviour, God said, “I Love You.” Redeemer church is going to spend the next 6 weeks looking at the message of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament.

Join us at the University of West London, where we aim to throw off indifference and live a life that counts for God!

2020 Creative Vision

We've been thinking aloud about harnessing the creativity at Redeemer in 2020 and wondered if you'd like to get involved?

Why?

Jesus said: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matt 6:33

So what does 'seeking first God's kingdom' look like for those with creative gifting? Is the answer for this season different from a previous season? What does a step of faith look like for you given your gifts, your talents and the company you find yourself in?

We can help each other answer these questions.

Who?

'Creative' can be a difficult word to claim.  It can feel presumptuous.  But take an honest look at yourself - do you have a mind that creates? Do you imagine change? Do you take pleasure in making difference?

This creativity can come in different shapes and sounds. Whatever form it takes - we'd love you to come and join the conversation. 

(If you don't regard yourself as creative, nudge someone who is.)

How?

We will hold 2 Sunday workshops on 16 & 23 February in the Savoy Suite at UWL, 1pm to 2pm.

The aim of these workshops is not to create content, but to engage with as many as possible and explore ideas of what a kingdom approach to using our creativity looks like.

The workshops will overlap in content and folk do not have to commit to both, rather the idea of having 2 is to give more people the chance to participate.  However given a different mix of people these workshops will be distinct and you might like to attend both.

All ages welcome.

Curious?

If this is getting you curious, please come along.  If you have questions email stevejeff62@gmail.com .

#RedeemerRecommends - Confronting Christianity

Every year in the run up to Christmas I have the same conversation with frustrated members of my family as they desperately ask me what I want! As gifts is not high on my list of love languages I often respond with a shrug and an unhelpful phrase, something along the lines of  - ’Whatever you feel like getting me I guess?’

I have come to learn over the years that when someone is trying to be generous, it helps to be a little more specific than that! So this year I sent my family the link to the Gospel Coalition’s books of the year, as a sort of Christmas list! You can find it here, just in case you’ve got a friend or family member with a January birthday coming up and (like me) your gift giving ideas ran dry about half way through December….

One of the books on the list which I was lucky enough to receive this Christmas was Rebecca McLaughlin’s ‘Confronting Christianity - 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Hardest Religion’.

The book poses 12 common objections to the Christian faith, and flips those challenges on their heads, using them to point to the goodness of God.

McLaughlin is fantastic at confronting the general lack of biblical knowledge which seems to influence many people’s objections to the Christian faith, and focusing on the biblical truth which can provide clear answers to questions like ‘Doesn’t Christianity Crush Diversity?’ And ‘Isn’t Christianity Homophobic?’. She has also clearly done her research (as is to be expected with a book like this), and not only does she highlight biblical truth, but also aligns it with findings of modern science to construct arguments which provide answers to those with big questions for Christianity, regardless of their knowledge of the bible.

I have no doubt that this is a book which would appeal to those who would not call themselves Christian, but simply have some questions to ask. It will also provide a great foundation for those Christians who have friends who are asking questions, and would love some guidance as to how to answer them!

There are countless books out there which pose the ‘Big Questions’ of the world and aim to answer them, but what this book does so well is that combination of evidence alongside the biblical narrative. In every answer to every question this book is pointing unequivocally to the only source of true hope, the incredible, fully God, fully man, Jesus Christ. I will end this #RedeemerRecommends with a paragraph from the last page of the book, as McLaughlin brings us to the reason why all these questions need an answer, and why the story of the bible is the best place to turn.

In Jesus’s world, we find connective tissue between the truths of science and morality. We find a basis for saying that all human beings are created equal, and a deep call to love across diversity. We find a name for evil, and a means of forgiveness. We find a vision of love that is so much deeper than our current hearts can hold, and a true intimacy better than our weak bodies could ever experience. We find a diagnosis of human nature as shot through with sin and yet as redeemable by grace. We find a call to care for the poor, oppressed, and lonely, a call springing from the heart of God himself and grounded in the hope that one day every tear will be wiped away, every stomach will be filled, and every outcast will be embraced. But we do not find glib answers or an easy road. Instead, we find a call to come and die. (page 222)

Nativity Scene - A poem by Steve Page

Sunday night saw our very first Christmas concert at Redeemer, and our resident poet Steve Page was on hand to shed some light on his experience of Christmas over the years, and reveal some truth about the very first Christmas to those in attendance. Below is just one of the many brilliant poems he shared with us, and it can be found in his new Christmas anthology, which our host on the night described (correctly) as a perfect stocking filler! If you want to buy it you’ll find a link to at the bottom of the page.

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Nativity Scene

Stubborn love
faced down the years
of fearful hate
and stared intently as a child
from the stink of a manger
out into the poverty and
the oppression reflected
in captive eyes,
wide with hope
and wet with joy.

Generous love
cried out an almighty peace
into the dark stillness,
heralding a new start
with echoes of ancient promise.

Patient love
reached out with perfect timing
and embraced humanity.

Unfailing love.
Unfailing still.

A Choir at Christmas

I absolutely love carol singing. The last time I was in a choir was at sixth-form college and I’ve been craving a chance to belt out some Christmas carols ever since. 

It seems like I was not the only one in that camp this Sunday afternoon as 20 odd Redeemer folk gathered after the Sunday service for a choir practice. Headed up by Jo, Kayla and Anna, the Redeemer Christmas Choir will be performing at our Christmas Concert.

We ran through three different songs in a traditional SATB choir format, and for a bunch of amateurs, we sounded pretty pro. A traditional carol, a glee carol and a dancy lil number are featured in the performance.

As part of Redeemer’s ‘Love Ealing’ event we will be singing carols at Ealing Broadway shopping centre and handing out chocolates on Sat 14th Dec before our carol service the next day! So, come and find us, get in the festive spirit and eat some chocolates!

If you can’t make it to that (or if you really, really loved hearing us sing) then we will be performing the next day (Sunday 15th) as part of the Redeemer Christmas Concert at 6pm at UWL!

I am personally looking forward to seeing our resident poet, Steve Page, lifted up on strings in a white and gold leotard. Ok, that might be a joke, but his bass singing voice isn’t!

- Josh Gagel

Love Ealing

The first word when I think about God is LOVE.

The first verse I learnt from the Bible was John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son.

As a follower of Jesus I am amazed by His love for me

Love Ealing is one means by which Redeemer Church wants to demonstrate Jesus love for Ealing in practical ways. This will be as creative as the people taking part, and can be large or small: a wide range of activities, events and words are encouraged.

Below are some examples of ideas we have had already, plus some testimonies of how individuals have already been showing love to the people of Ealing!

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What we’ve got planned!

As we’re getting closer to Christmas we’ll be doing some carol singing in the Ealing Broadway shopping centre on Thursday the 12th and Thursday the 19th of December. At 7:30 on both evenings we’ll be showing some love to the people of Ealing as they do some Christmas shopping, and anyone is welcome to join us!

In January we will be showing love to the emergency services around Ealing, gathering people to go to their local police station, a&e department, and fire service with thank you cards and gifts. Blessing them in response to all they do for us over the busy Christmas season.

We’re also looking to bless and show love to those who are supported by Age Concern and Retirement Homes in the borough, and will be taking teams of people to build community with the older residents of Ealing by singing Christmas songs, playing games, and just spending quality time with them around Christmas.

Finally, we’re putting on two fantastic and free Christmas events on the 15th of December! There will be a carol service at 4pm, and a Christmas concert at 6pm, both events are at the University of West London and will be followed by mulled wine and mince pies!

We would love to hear about your ideas or to get you involved in one of the ones mentioned above, come and find us at the Love Ealing table on a Sunday morning!

How we’ve been loving Ealing so far…

The other day I was in Pret with a friend and we thanked the lady who served us, let her know that she was loved and gave her a Love Ealing business card, there was no big conversation as a result but it was great just to spread a little joy as part of our lunch!

I was walking through Ealing Broadway and I stopped to chat to some people who were asking members of the public if they wanted to switch their bills! Often I find it easy to walk past these people, but I decided to stop, encourage them for doing something which quite often can seem a thankless task, and I offered to pray for them! They were kind and asked me to pray that they wouldn’t get rained on! I also gave them a Love Ealing card and I walked away praying for them, it was only such a small thing but I am trusting that God uses it to plant a seed.

I came to the realisation that on my daily commute I walk past so many people that I never really stop to chat to. One of these people is Graham, who works at Chiswick Park tube station every morning. I felt convicted to do something to thank him for his friendly ‘hello’ each morning and tell him about Love Ealing. One morning, I asked God for courage and walked to the station armed with chocolate and Love Ealing business cards. As I gave these to Graham, he looked shocked and so happy to receive this small gesture of appreciation. I told him that how our church is taking a few months to love Ealing in practical ways and invited him along to Redeemer, pointing to the address on the back of the card. With a delighted expression on his face, we chatted about our weekends before he said ‘thank you so much Hannah’. We’ve connected everyday since and now know each other personally! I was struck by how little that took from me, but how great the impact was for him. What if we slowed down enough to notice and bless someone on our commute everyday?

#RedeemerRecommends - It's Not Too Early For A Christmas Album!

Christmas has come early for this week’s #RedeemerReccommends!

I have been working on arrangements for carols for this year’s Christmas events at Redeemer (find out more HERE) and inevitably that means listening to A LOT of Christmas carols, and I’m certainly not complaining, as there’s some fantastic Christmas albums out there!

I wanted to recommend one in particular which I have loved listening to recently, Joy to the World (Live) by Jeremy Riddle!

The album has got some fantastic live versions of Christmas classics like O Come All Ye Faithful, O Holy Night, and of course Joy To The World, as well as a new recording of All Hail King Jesus.

In an interview prior to the EP’s release in November 2018, Jeremy talked about wanting to recapture the awe and wonder associated with the celebration of Christmas, and he definitely does so with this superb collection of songs.

You can hear more of his vision for the album below…