Evan Almighty

Watched Evan Almighty tonight, great film, highly recommend it. If you liked Bruce Almighty you will love this too. Makes you laugh and makes you think! And Morgan Freeman is so good as God.

Apt Cartoon?

Vote for Worcester

There is going to be a new version of Monopoly with cities instead of streets and you are able to vote for the cities to be on the board. Why not go vote for Worcester?

Stressful Job?

I found these survey results on John Smulo's blog. Its an American survey but I'm guessing it applies to some degree to pastors over here. Looks like Peter might really be in need of the sabbatical!

1. 48% of pastors think their work is hazardous to the well-being of their family

2. 45% will experience depression or burnout severe enough to be the catalyst to leave ministry

3. Pastors have the second highest rate of divorce among professions

4. According to leadership expert Peter Drucker, pastors have one of the four hardest jobs in America, alongside the president of the USA, president of a university, and hospital CEO

5. Only 1 out of 20 pastors will retire as a pastor. Many leave due to burn out, are fired, have a moral breakdown, or quit

6. Most pastors are lonely

7. The longer one is a pastor, the lower their self-esteem will likely be

So, anyone fancy the job? Peter, what do you think of this?

It all depends on your viewpoint!

Don't you think this looks amazing?
Its a pavement drawing but it looks so 3D.

This is what it looks like if you look from the "wrong" side!

Take a look at Julian Beever's website for more 3D drawings.

Search for Charity

Would you like to support your favourite charity by surfing the net? Everyclick is a search engine which donates money to charity every time you make a search, if you register you can even choose the charity where your money goes. Why help Google rake in the cash when you could be helping a good cause? Go and have a look, it sounds like a great idea to me (and it was the brainchild of one of our ex-teachers!). See a video of the full story here. Please tell all your friends and colleagues about it.

Ebay!

Wait

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;

Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.

I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate...and

the Master so gently said,"Wait.""

Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.

"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!

Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?

By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

My future and all to which I relate

hangs in the balance and you tell me to Wait?

I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign.

Or even a 'no,' to which I'll resign.

You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,

We need but to ask, and we shall receive.

Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:

I'm weary of asking! I need a reply."

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate

as my Master replied again, "Wait."

So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,

and grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting...for what?"

He seemed then to kneel,

and His eyes met with mine...and He tenderly said,

"I could give you a sign.

I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.

I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.

You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.

You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint.

You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;

you'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.

You'd not know the joy of resting in Me

when darkness and silence are all you can see.

You'd never experience the fullness of love

when the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.

You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,

But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

The glow of My comfort late into the night,

the faith that I give when you walk without sight.

The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask

From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

You'd never know should your pain quickly flee,

what it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.

Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,

but oh, the loss if I lost what I'm doing in you.

So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see

that the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.

And though oft My answers seem terribly late,

My most precious answer of all is still

"WAIT".

by Russell Kelfer. (Thanks to Bug at IN not OF)

Free Hugs

Have a look at this cool link. Thanks to Sally at Eternal Echoes.

See this video for the story behind it.

i count

What are you doing Saturday November 4th? How about us taking an environmentally friendly trip to London to support the i count event to stop climate chaos? All the info is on their website www.icount.org.uk where you can sign up etc. This has the full support of BMS World Mission.

Gareth Wilde, BMS mission education co-ordinator, says, as Christians its our responsibility to join the campaign to stop climate chaos.

"BMS calls on its supporters to stand alongside other Christian charities, as well as environmental and political groups who are part of Stop Climate Chaos, in campaigning for international action. Come and be counted on 4 November with thousands of people who want to make their voices heard".

Links from i count to Stop Climate Chaos and The Big Ask, Friends of the Earth etc.

You can download a flyer from www.bmsworldmission.org/temp/ispcountspflyer.pdf.

Weekend with Lydia

Lydia and I had a great weekend together. I got the chance to check Mark out, he seems like a nice chap! By the way, he's into motorbikes and Lydia is becoming a "biker chick" with the leathers and everything! We did some touristy things, like Portchester Castle and the Spinnaker Tower, and also did some shopping (we all know Lydia loves to shop!). She still misses us and hopefully she'll be up to visit us all soon, but its good to see that she's happy down south. Bizarrely when we went to church on Sunday evening we bumped into Jo, who was visiting that church with friends for the first time! Jo needs our prayers right now as she is struggling with her future plans.

Greenbelt 2006 / 7?

Hi. folks. I went to Greenbelt at Cheltenham Racecourse yesterday to help with the Quiet Garden Stand. Greenbelt is such an amazing festival and right on our doorstep. I love just wandering around and seeing what is happening. Of course there is the music, but lots of art, spiritual space, talks, great food, (really good veggie food as well) and great people. Always challenging always unnnerving but always worth going to. How about a SNOG camp or stay in halls of residence (which I think is possible) next year? You cant really do it in a day. See http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/ where you can download MP3 files of the talks for a small fee. Dates for 2007 24 to 27 August, already advertised as featuring Ched Myers and NT Wright.

Got Nothing Planned This Evening?

Special bible study tonight at church about the Da Vinci Code. We have a guest speaker, Revd Duncan Ballard of St Mark's. It should be interesting whether or not you have read the book. The topic is "Was Jesus ever married?" and it would be great if we could get lots of people to attend. It's at 7:30pm in the hall. Look forward to seeing you there!

Welcome

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If you don't know what SNOG is all about then this isn't for you, membership by invitation only!