Crossing the Threshold
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January 2013 Dr. Peter Gubi writes about PRAYER NOTES Crossing the Threshold Crossing the threshold of a New Year If one studies scripture from many January 1st New Year’s Day often brings with it expectations of faith traditions, including our own, we opportunity for change. There is a desire find that spiritual growth often occurs Through Christ who can make all things January 6th Epiphany to create new resolutions; a wish for through wounds and set-backs, exile and new we praise you Lord for giving pardon for Heavenly Father we thank you that you gave your Son, at something to be different in various wilderness. Resurrection seems not to be aspects of our lives. We annually cross able to happen without crucifixion. To the past and a fresh start for the future, to all his birth, the name of Jesus, which means Saviour. May it be this threshold in hope. Yet, the reality is move on in faith is often to experience, who repent. Be with us today, as we come to to us the name that is above every name, the name to be that often little, if anything, changes. New endure, and then transcend, the scrapes you with our tiny resolutions and enormous honoured, trusted and obeyed. As you led the wise men from resolutions are soon breached as we resort and bruises that life presents - much as fears, our small achievements and huge tasks the ends of the earth to the cradle of Jesus, we remember to familiar patterns of being and doing, a rock climber has to feel and overcome ahead. May we enter this New Year as your that you want all people everywhere, to be saved. Bring nearer in spite of our best intentions. Default the tiredness in arm and leg, and the pain people entered the Promised Land, with the the day when the knowledge of you will cover the earth as positions kick-in as we unconsciously act of the scratching and knocking of limbs promise of your presence and a renewed sense the waters cover the sea. In the name of him who said that, out well-practiced attitudes and against hard, sharp rock. Yet, it is through behaviours. Our hopes wither and deflate, experiencing, enduring, and then of our calling. Guide us as we travel to the if he was lifted up from the earth, he would draw everyone and we chastise ourselves with 'whatever transcending the pain, that stronger to him, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen heavenly city that we may know Jesus, the true happened to our New Year resolutions?' glimpses of the light and the truth of God and living way. Amen. Perhaps, our mistake is in thinking can be experienced as healing and growth- that something fundamental can change enhancing. Spiritual growth and change simply because it is a New Year! The requires discipline and effort: daily prayer; January 20th Second Sunday after Epiphany hope of a New Year message rarely small acts of grace; little shifts in thinking January 13th First Sunday after Epiphany emphasises the effort and discipline such as gradually learning to see glimpses Lord Jesus, who sent out your first disciples to that is needed for fundamental of Christ in all things and all people; reading scripture and applying its wisdom God of salvation, in the river Jordan you bathed proclaim your kingdom, we believe that you speak still, change. It is given over to God and to personal circumstance; conversing with Jesus in glory and revealed him as your Son. We our good-intention, with little calling even people like us into your service. Open our investment of fellow pilgrims. These all add to the gentle marvel at the way you chose such simple things to hearts to what you are saying to us today. As your effort, to bring ploughing of new furrows in spiritual well- reveal your greatness. A river of water as the place to being. Expectations of large leaps and disciples left their nets and followed you, break into our about the change. make known the nature and work of your Son. Help Yet, change strides, or the hasty ploughing of new lives with your disturbing call and show us which things us, who have dipped a foot into the water of life, to within 'self', furrows, are unrealistic. They lack the underpinning test of trust that acts as the plunge in over our heads, dead to the old life and to abandon and what new things to do, that we may including spiritual growth (never foothold for the next small move needed fully alive to the new, walking with Him the path of share with others what we have been taught by you, to mind dieting!), is to enact change. obedience and serving you in the world. For His sake, the glory of your Name and the spread of your Kingdom. more like a rock So, this New Year, may we resolve to Amen Amen climb than a fell walk. see the value and miracle of small, but Each 'hold' has to be nonetheless significant, shifts, as we work gingerly sought out and at the discipline that is required for tested, and invested with fundamental change in our spiritual lives, January 27th Third Sunday After Epiphany trust, before the full weight and in other aspects of life. May we come Almighty God, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, and yet whose love of a fundamental shift within to foster realistic expectation, and embrace our 'self' can occur. It requires the gingerly-made steps as being more encompasses the tiniest creature, we thank for the gift of our human bodies and building strength and fundamental than the large leap that remembering that they are your temples, we ask for your help in caring for them as fostering discipline. It is a carries fragile promise - but which is likely your dwelling place. We thank you too for those other temples, our churches. May 'working-at' process rather than to be broken because it is fragile. For in an 'arrived-at' process. we care for them and have them stand as worthy witnesses to a living faith, for the doing that, we won't be disappointed when we cross the threshold of this New Year. sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. INSIDE THIS MONTH’S ISSUE In Remembrance Spoken Through My Albanian The Week of Prayer Around the District Open Book Brother Geoffrey Tate the Silence THE MORAVIAN MESSENGER Adventure for Christian Unity Conferences 2 PETER A New Year hymn Official Journal of the Moravian Church in the British Province. Editor: Judith Ashton. Contributions for the Messenger should reach An abridged version of Provincial Board James Woolford Patsy Holdsworth with Paul Gubi Published monthly by the authority of the Provincial Synod. the Editor, Sunnybank, Raglan Road, Tintern, Monmouthshire NP16 6TH Br. Fred Linyard's Yorkshire District address. Advertisements and all communications concerning distribution and E-mail: [email protected] by the 3rd day of the preceeding Irish District Standing at the Portal supply should be sent to the Moravian Book Room, 5 Muswell Hill, London month. PLUS ALL THE REGULAR FEATURES N10 3TJ, and NOT to the Editor. Produced by David Bull (Red Rag Design) 240 Huddersfield Road, Liversedge, West Yorkshire WF15 7QQ Tel 01924 410339 e-mail: [email protected] • Your Letters • News from Congregations • Church House News Update • Printed and distributed by G.R.Walkden, 3 OakTree Close, Shap, Cumbria CA10 3PR Tel/fax: 01931 716703. In Remembrance Brother Geoffrey Tate Brother Geoffrey Tate was born in Yorkshire and baptised Tates had been race horse owners! Family tradition liked at Horton Moravian Church. While Geoffrey was still young, to claim that one of the horses even won the Grand National. Summer Camp 2013 the family moved to Lytham St. Annes. Although there is Geoffrey had a satisfying and fruitful ministry in Jamaica, MORYAC Weekend no Moravian Church there, the Moravian connection perhaps with a particular emphasis on youth work, especially Where: Fulneck School, Yorkshire continued and in 1949 Geoffrey entered Fairfield College the Boys' Brigade. Where: Guy Chester House, Muswell Hill When: 27th July - 3rd August to begin training for the ministry. Study was interrupted Returning to England in 1976, he continued his ministry When: 17-19th May 2012 Who: Any person age 10-17 on 31st August 2013. by National Service in the Air Force but he completed his here, first at Queen's Park, Bedford and then a Who: Any person age 9-17 on 31st August 2012. course and was ordained in 1956 when he long ministry in Birmingham, helping to Cost: £100 for whole weekend Cost: £250 includes all food and activities became minister at Wheler Street in strengthen the relationship between the United £25 day fee for the Saturday only Discounts: £20 if you book before 31st March. Manchester. In the same year, he married Joan Reformed and Moravian churches at Sparkhill What is it? A chance for children and youth leaders to What is it? A chance for young Moravians to get together Beeley of Fairfield, the beginning of a long and to establish a truly united congregation. get together, share good ideas and gain some knowledge and spend a week having fun, learning together, growing partnership of love and mutual support. Those who worked with him speak of him as while having fun and building friendships. in faith and making lifelong friends. Kathryn and David, the two children of the an encourager, helping people to develop and Why come? It is an opportunity to be inspired and Why come? It is an opportunity to make friends or meet marriage, eventually with their partners and make the most of their gifts and abilities.