Dear Hope family,
Thought for the Week
Acting with Due Care
Deuteronomy 22v8 “When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.”
There are three events this week which have taken my mind to this verse in Deuteronomy:
- The explosion in a warehouse in Beirut
- The significant accident in the Tour of Poland cycle race
- The requirement for wearing facemasks in “places of worship” and “community centres”
Deuteronomy is a summary of how the Israelites were to live in the Promised Land they were about to enter. In the time and place it was written, roofs would have been flat so people could go on them, and it was possible for someone to accidentally fall off the edge. And so, the builder of a house needed to take due care and attention to potential danger and seek to prevent a serious accident.
We are responsible for how our actions may impact others and we should take reasonable steps to mitigate potential dangers. Jesus said that the Old Testament law could be summed up in the command “Love your neighbour”, and this command is a specific example of that. The more generic command is in Leviticus 19v16 “Do not do anything that endangers your neighbour’s life”.
The persons responsible for storing the explosive materials in Beirut, irrespective of legislation, should have taken into account the impact of an accident. The cyclist responsible for the accident should not have “wandered” across the road.
But let’s look at the log in our own eyes – are there ways in which we take undue risk of someone else’s life? Maybe, it is better to focus on wearing a facemask as an act of love towards those around me in case I am an asymptomatic carrier than as a restriction of freedom.
May the Lord give us wisdom and insight in our love for our neighbour.
With love and blessing,
Roland
News
- Re-gathering Update – Publicise – Having developed our process for meeting over the last couple of weeks, we are now happy to publicise our re-gathering, so if you have friends you would like to invite, you are welcome to do so. Facemasks – Facemasks must now be worn on Sunday morning from this Sunday 9th.
- Opportunities to serve – Children’s work – we would love to have additional people to help with the children’s work on a Sunday morning. Speak to Sue for more details. Cleaning and Setting Up/down – we are anticipating some of you would like to join the team for this. Speak to Tony for details. Telling what God has done – in what ways has God worked in your life? Let’s encourage each other by sharing our stories. We would love more stories to go on our weekly broadcast. Speak to Roland for details.
Programme – contact roland@hopeadmaston.org.uk if you would like to join any of our Zoom meetings. Sunday morning worship is now live-streamed on both YouTube and Facebook from Admaston House at 10.30am.
Fri 07-Aug 2.30pm Alpha on Zoom (20’s)
Sun 09-0Aug 10.30am Hope Worship @ Admaston and on YouTube and Facebook; 11am Hope Familt time @ Admaston and on Zoom; 7pm at Admaston House
Wed 12-Aug 8am Hope Community Prayer – on Zoom; 7.30pm Tony and Andrea’s Disciple Group on Zoom
Thu 13-Aug 7.30pm St Cs Ladies’ Group – on Zoom
Prayer:
Give thanks:
- For our church family
- For the increasing freedom we are able to experience.
Prayer:
- The Holy Spirit’s anointing on our gathering together.
- For the 20’s Alpha courses currently running.
- Use our daily prayer guide and let’s pray for one another in this time of change.
- For those so seriously impacted in Beirut this week.
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.
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