We meet 1.10-1.40 in the Telfer room of Ealing Town Hall.
We're looking at Eph 2:4-6 - Made Alive, Raised, Seated
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Saturday, 19 September 2009
This Sunday
Tomorrow we're going to be in Genesis 14 in the morning and then the first of a 2 parter on Mark 13 in the evening. Do pray for Iain he is preaching on an Oak Hall holiday somewhere sunny and David Barnes will be taking the service at the Downhurst home.
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Church Weekend speaker
The speaker on the church weekend is Martin Downes. 
He's just published his first book called 'Risking the truth' which is a collection of interviews basically looking at how we combat error and heresy in the church. He's managed to get lots of friends to write favourable reviews so sales are doing quite well.
Martin blogs prolifically at Against Heresies which is worth keeping an eye on.
In real life he is married to Debbie and has 2 daughters, he's been the minister of Christ Church Deeside since 2003. Before that he worked in student ministry for 5 years.
Martin is going to be speaking to us on the subject of Truth Matters and also doing a seminar on Covenant Theology.
Church Weekend
We have our church weekend at home October 2-4 and the last date for booking in is this Sunday. We've got Martin Downes coming to speak to us. Martin is the minister of ChristChurch Deeside and is a terrific speaker but the church weekend is also a great opportunity to spend more time together, to deepen and build new friendships. My experience with these sorts of things is beforehand we're convinced we haven't got the time to spare but actually by going we find we benefit enormously. We want to encourage as many from the congregation to be there as possible, and if you read this blog and aren't in our church (which admittedly is very unlikely) you would be very welcome too. The price is £25 for an adult (£15 if you're a student and free for kids). We have all our meals together and then sleep in the comfort of our own beds. It's held at 53 Drayton Green, W13 0JE.
Monday, 7 September 2009
Graham on getting involved in society
Paul asked me to give you my personal illustration of involvement in and separation from the world, the subject of his Gen.14 sermon.
In 1986 Ealing had a change in local government. The first Friday in May, when the results came in I remember thinking how good it would feel for those elected to govern the borough. I had no idea that I would know exactly how it feels four years later.
The new Council had, hidden away in their election manifest, a commitment to sexual equality. This surface to all when a policy to promote in the schools a policy wich said, among other things, that homosexuality is equally valid with heterosexuality. Christians were very unhappy. Some of us got together and formed a parents action group to challenge this. This was my first involvement in politics. To cut a long story short we found our support also came from the opposition party on the Council. This led me to join that party as a member though our lobby group was not party political and not even explicitly Christian.. It was not Christian because I wanted Muslims and other faiths as co-belligerents. So you could say I became allied with a political party and before long our local MP asked me if I would stand for office on the Council at the 1990 election. I agreed and was accepted as a candidate from a ward we expected to win and did. I was on the Council. What we had not expected was to win the whole council but we did and overnight I was vice chairman of Social Services. I had four years in power then four in opposition before I lost my seat.
Early on John Major started the National Lottery. The government routinely ask local councils the control to put forward motions to the Council meetings in support of their policies. Ealing Conservatives never moved any such motion praising this gambling. I claim some credit for that. They knew I could not be whipped into such a vote to support the party. I was not their ally on gambling.
In 1998 I lost my seat and was disappointed but accepted God's providence for me. But within I year I had left the party completely.
It was the time of the first ever London mayoral election. London Conservatives were asked to choose their candidate. The choice was between a serial adulterer and an openly homosexual candidate. I wrote my letter of resignation. I had joined the because of co-belligerence over homosexuality. I would not be allied with a party departing from my Christian principles in such a way. I joined the small Christian Peoples Alliance instead. There I can be much more than a co-belligerent.
So, out of Christian principle I joined a party then separated from it.
I encourage anyone who can join whatever party to do so. Be a Christian witness there, involved but separate.
In 1986 Ealing had a change in local government. The first Friday in May, when the results came in I remember thinking how good it would feel for those elected to govern the borough. I had no idea that I would know exactly how it feels four years later.
The new Council had, hidden away in their election manifest, a commitment to sexual equality. This surface to all when a policy to promote in the schools a policy wich said, among other things, that homosexuality is equally valid with heterosexuality. Christians were very unhappy. Some of us got together and formed a parents action group to challenge this. This was my first involvement in politics. To cut a long story short we found our support also came from the opposition party on the Council. This led me to join that party as a member though our lobby group was not party political and not even explicitly Christian.. It was not Christian because I wanted Muslims and other faiths as co-belligerents. So you could say I became allied with a political party and before long our local MP asked me if I would stand for office on the Council at the 1990 election. I agreed and was accepted as a candidate from a ward we expected to win and did. I was on the Council. What we had not expected was to win the whole council but we did and overnight I was vice chairman of Social Services. I had four years in power then four in opposition before I lost my seat.
Early on John Major started the National Lottery. The government routinely ask local councils the control to put forward motions to the Council meetings in support of their policies. Ealing Conservatives never moved any such motion praising this gambling. I claim some credit for that. They knew I could not be whipped into such a vote to support the party. I was not their ally on gambling.
In 1998 I lost my seat and was disappointed but accepted God's providence for me. But within I year I had left the party completely.
It was the time of the first ever London mayoral election. London Conservatives were asked to choose their candidate. The choice was between a serial adulterer and an openly homosexual candidate. I wrote my letter of resignation. I had joined the because of co-belligerence over homosexuality. I would not be allied with a party departing from my Christian principles in such a way. I joined the small Christian Peoples Alliance instead. There I can be much more than a co-belligerent.
So, out of Christian principle I joined a party then separated from it.
I encourage anyone who can join whatever party to do so. Be a Christian witness there, involved but separate.
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