Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Down is Easier than Up

Philippians 3v12,14  “I press on … I press on … heavenwards”

To go down is to submit to the pull of gravity, and requires little effort. When I am out cycling, going uphill requires effort and takes time; by contrast, coming down enables freewheeling and is all over so quickly.

I am minded as we see some of the events in the US of how fragile the privileges and the blessings we have in this world are. Let us take care to protect what we have and move upwards rather than downwards. Moving upwards together often requires us to disadvantage ourselves and our views. As we enter another lockdown, we also find the removal of our normal freedoms, and we disadvantage ourselves for the sake of the whole.

What is 2021 going to mean for you? What are your ambitions for the year? How spiritually ambitious are you? Are you going to drift downwards this year or move on upwards? Up will take effort, and sometimes be a hard slog. In the Bible, the glory of God’s presence is often encountered on the mountain (think Moses on Sinai, Elijah on Carmel, Jesus being transfigured). It takes effort to get up a mountain, but the reward vastly outweighs the effort.

In John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress”, one of the handicaps poor Christian has is the baggage he takes with him. What baggage is holding you back on your spiritual journey? What is it that you need to cast off?

Many things may get in the way of goals you set for 2021, but your relationship with God is down to you – it is not up to other people, and God is always open and faithful.

May 2021 be a year of adventure in the Lord for you as you discover more of the wonders of his love and purpose for you. Press on!!

With love and blessing,

Roland

News

• Coming Sundays through Lockdown
  • We are offering physical meeting at Admaston House as well as online this coming Sunday in accord with government guidelines.
    • We want to enable everyone to participate in the way appropriate to them.
    • To mitigate risk, we will exceed government guidelines in terms of our leading of worship and the spacing of chairs.
    • No intermingling is permitted which will mean that all attendees must go to their seat on entry. Attendees must also leave the premises as soon as they leave their seat rather than interact with others.
    • The Zoom time will be able to continue as normal with the use of a roaming microphone in the room.
  • Facebook live https://www.facebook.com/HopeCommunityChurchAdmaston/live
  • Youtube on Hope Community Church Admaston channel. https://youtu.be/om36aPJQpQY

• Testimony
  • Over the coming weeks, we will be refocusing our testimony slot for the broadcast. We would like each of you to share your favourite Bible verse and explain why it is your favourite. What do you think? Are you up for participating with that? If so, please contact Roland and he can timetable a Sunday for you.

Programme – Please contact roland@hopeadmaston.org.uk if you would like to join any of our meetings on Zoom.

Sunday morning worship is now live-streamed on both Youtube and Facebook from Admaston House at 10.30am.

Prayer

Give thanks:

• For our church family together.

Prayer

• For all those who are impacted by the latest lockdown and by the changes in our relationship with the EU. Let’s pray too for the US at this time.
• For our young people and teachers with the changes in their education and exams.
• For Hope to overcome fear!

Other general information

Pastoral Care – If you are in isolation and need support (eg shopping), please contact natalie@hopeadmaston.org.uk who will arrange with the team of helpers.