Dear friends,
As I re-read some of the accounts of how Jesus called those early disciples to ‘follow him’ it strikes me that when Jesus speaks these words he offers two main questions: challenge and invitation. He challenges them in their faith. What will they give up to follow him? Where are they prepared to go? What is it they believe about this man? Who is he? These are the same questions we need to ask today as the answers have some implications on our faith, our understand, our journey through this life. But when Jesus asks this question of his disciples, he does it in an invitational manner. ‘Come’, he says. Jesus invites his disciples into something more, something deeper. He says, ‘I have come that you may have life, and have it abundantly’. The life that Jesus invites us to is rich, and full and overflowing with mercy, grace and love. Why not take the opportunity to join us at one of our services this week, to encounter Jesus’ invitation to follow him into an abundant life.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Love and blessings,
Grant
The Benefice Weekly Newsletter
Coming up!
Services this Sunday
Next week’s services
Prayer Points
Please do continue to pray for the continued conflict in Ukraine. We have welcomed a Ukrainian family to Basildon Primary School this week. We are working closely with the school to support them. Please pray for the staff and the family as they settle into local life.
Please pray for the couples who are planning to get married in our churches, or from our villages this year. Some of whom have rescheduled quite a few times!
Please pray for the NHS continuing to serve the nation with tiredness and fatigue featuring heavily.
Please pray for HRH Queen Elizabeth II and the Jubilee celebrations this year.
Please continue to pray for those we know and love who are at this time unwell or recovering from illnesses.
Please pray for those within our parishes who have lost loved ones recently.
