Hello everyone
Welcome to 2021. It is a new year and in some ways it doesn’t feel like very much has changed in our world.
Last year wasn’t what any of us expected, and wasn’t what most of us would have chosen. It has been, and still is, a very challenging time for us all. On the first Sunday in 2020 I preached that we should: ‘Pray a lot and give it our best shot’. I knew that this is what God had given me to say but was not aware of the relevance of it. We definitely did this. I know that many people spent many hours in prayer and so many people gave all that they could. For our annual review this year we want to collect ‘stories from 2020’. It would be great to have many stories from last year which show how God was present in the midst of the storm. So please email them into us, or write them and send them to us, so we can include them.
This year hasn’t started how any of us would have wanted either; the new lockdown will bring many challenges and struggles for us. As we look further into 2021 we are not sure what it holds or when we will be able to do things. We do know who knows! Let’s remember that God does know what is happening and what will happen in the coming weeks and months. He doesn’t tell us what is next until we need to know it. At this time it is important that as a church we all continue to be church together. As we know, church is so much more than a gathered moment each week. Each time we pray for someone, contact someone, help someone, phone someone, write to someone we are being church. This is the time that we don’t give up, but we keep going.
Psalm 23 is very well known by many of us, but I include it here for us to reflect on. I encourage you to read through it and remember that God is with us, however dark it feels.
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
It is so encouraging to be part of GBC at this difficult time, thank you for being who you are and doing your bit. We are all called by God to do our bit. We may not be able to do as much as we want, and it is easy to look around and see what other people are doing and feel inadequate, but if we all do our bit, then as a community we will be able to do so much, for each other and the people around us.
At this time we have shut our building again on East Chadley Lane. We will continue to provide emergency food and support where needed. We are still answering the phone and emails and able to help and support where needed, so please contact us.
We will continue to have our Sunday AM broadcast on Youtube each Sunday. This week we will make our covenant commitment together as church members and also commit to live for God in every area of our life.
God bless, keep in contact with each other, stay safe.
Daniel
Daniel Beckett
Lead Pastor
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