1 Kings 17:1-16

Ravens, Famine, Refugees & Aid

Ravens a lovely story about the way God provides for those who obey and trust. It might also be that it is a story about the way the whole of creation  combines to God's will - the birds and the prophet all under God's command. But a more rational explanation of the story is that ravens is a way of describing Bedouin type desert dwellers - And so at the heart of this story is a reminder that we are to feed those who come into our land seeking food, and welcome the stranger in our midst. 

Famine continues to be a problem for millions of Africans - Sudan, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Niger the worst affected at the moment http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/africa/2006/africa_food_crisis/default.stm

drought continues to be a problem, but the biggest cause is political mismanagement, conflict and trading restrictions which make it very difficult for a nation to work itself out of crisis. 

Closer to home many people who have managed to escape the African famines and conflicts come here seeking a welcome and a fresh start and are left facing famine as benefits ard withheld and they are not allowed legal work. Hence our harvest gifts will go towards helping to feed those who can only survive through such aid, we can be the ravens for those facing famine in Rochdale today. 

Generous Widow, Bread of life

How difficult a decision was it for the widow - does she feed herself and her son their final meal or share it with this strange man, trusting his strange promise? 

She shares and her generosity is rewarded - as it is so often. Generosity breed generosity and a willingness to share what little we have will mean that others will share with us. The biblical view is that a community will starve or feast together - so a good harvest meant that everyone benefits a poor harvest means that everyone struggles. In our culture we can buy our way out of a poor harvest - but that will leave others far away and out of sight to suffer. We celebrate a generous God and we can only do that through our own generosity.

How much do we love bread? We have brought a whole selection of breads today to feast upon and enjoy -  for Elijah and the widow's family it was about survival, the difference between death and life. We also talk about bread in spiritual terms - of Jesus as the bread of life - for in following Jesus there is not just the staple for living or the difference between death and life - but a variety of tastes, experiences, adventures spread out on the table for us just waiting to be shared.

James 3:1-12

Mark 8:27-38

They compare Jesus with John and Elijah and then call him Messiah. But Peter's idea of Messiah is a long way removed from the vision of Jesus.  Jesus doesn't want a Statement of Faith - he wants more than words he wants costly action.

James is concerned that words are used to cause pain, spark destruction, spread poison - and reveal our true heart - how can we bless God and curse people with the same tongue?

Parents, Godparents and congregation have made baptismal promises - we need to put them into action  - being part of a faith community will help her to know some of the choices before her and to decide in later life whether she wants to confirm her baptism

The way of the cross is to follow and to copy the way of Jesus on the vulnerable walk of discipleship. Jesus does not ask for statements of belief - that is the church deciding who belongs - Jesus demands action -  follow - come and see, experience, learn, act, experience, learn, act - how does your following the way of the cross impact on the way you live your daily life - and the goals of your life?

The way of the cross is about putting our old life aside, perhaps a life in which our words spark destruction, spread poison - perhaps a life in which our word means very little, which seems to be taking us no where other than down the same old road and invites us to experience life in all it’s fullness. That may not be easy, it may involve sacrifice, painful endings, grief, shame, but what will emerge is a new life, an abundant life being lived to it’s full potential as God intends - can we dare to seek such life along the way of the cross? 

On a day in which we marked the movement of some of our young people into Secondary School and away to University, we thought about belonging and hence I explored something about belonging to the Reformed Tradition and to the United Reformed Church looking at the five classic marks of a Reformed Tradition - Grace, Faith, Scripture, to the glory of God, reformation we added two more that more recent documents and thinking seem to be highlighting - Ecumenism and Inclusive Justice.

Sola Gratia - By grace alone

Sola Fide - By faith alone

The United Reformed Church acknowledges that the life of faith to which it is called is a gift of the Holy Spirit continually received in Word and Sacrament and in the common life of God's people. (The Nature, faith & Order of the United Reformed Church). Today we have given some of our young people gifts - it is up to them whether those gifts are used and valued or tossed in the corner of some cupboard, neglected and forgotten. We have been offered the gift of grace - faith is about taking hold of the gift God has given us and letting it be part of our everyday lives.

Sola Scriptura -  

The United Reformed Church acknowledges the Word of God in the Old and New Testaments, discerned under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, as the supreme authority for the faith and conduct of all God's people.

disclosing new worlds reflects on last weeks reading.

The role of the preacher as the conveyor of the word of God is to proclaim Jesus Christ. Good news is brought alive to hearers in their context. Preaching is a creative activity of bringing scripture into dialogue with the contextual realities of hearers, this is what is valid within Reformed worship, not oratory or a rational intellectual discourse. Who are We called to be?

Soli Deo Gloria - to the glory of God

Ecclesia Reformata, semper Reformata - the church reformed is always reforming

Reformed - The church is a creation of the Holy Spirit who continues to create. As a pilgrim people on its way to God's future we are not bound to the contents of thoughts and contexts of our ancestral history. The Reformed churches of the 16th century themselves could be seen as the result of their sensitivity to the word of God in their particular context. The church continues to meet new challenges in different contexts - cultural, social, economic and geopolitical. These encounters impact the churches' understanding of the word of God and its self-understanding as a pilgrim people. We are freed to participate in this continual recreation by the Holy Spirit as a result of our belief that ecclesia reformata est semper reformandaWho are We called to be?

Ecumenical

- mission orientated - unity in diversity - affirming our differences as gifts we offer one another - sharing our experiences with others who explore the ecumenical journey.

Inclusive Justice -

We have a structure which is essentially democratic and we have always seen social justice at the heart of the gospel. Growing emphasis on including all people without regard to gender, race, age or background. Exemplified in a  commitment to an open table -