Here is a good idea for the New Year. Some of the books which have had the biggest impact on the shape of contemporary Church are the first Christian books that people read. There is a real art to this kind of writing, aimed at those outside or on the threshold of faith. Their simplicity and clarity makes them great reading.

So the suggestion is that we make a New Years resolution to (re)read some of the classic introduction to Christianity books and aim to read them critically and yet humbly. We should be prepared to learn, but also alert to the errors they make, (for those mistakes tend to take root in the Church in disproportionate ways). Just reading a chapter a day  will help to root you (to use the language of Psalm 1) in streams of water that will sustain you through the days ahead.

Here are the top four recommendations;

Mere Christianity  (1952) – C.S. Lewis

Basic Christianity (1958) – John Stott

Simply Christian (2006) – Tom Wright

The Prodigal God (2008) – Tim Keller

You can find them on Amazon (often at very reasonable prices if you buy second hand) and we will run this as an online book group, so in time there with be a forum for each of these books to share your experiences and reflections. Get stuck in, and see this as a good spiritual discipline for the New Year.

Great music, festive vibe, mulled wine and punchy preaching. Our Carol service is our biggest event of the year, and a great event to invite your friends and workmates to.

You can download the invitation here.

Our advent 2011 project is now live. Check back each morning for updates or follow by the magic of twitter.

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
Our annual Advent project is now getting started. You can find out more here.

Most of us were never taught how to pray. We just picked it up along the way by listening to those more experienced in the faith. And often the problem is we only learn the outward expressions of prayer. Even for those who have been taught, we tend to have a rather narrow view of prayer, focussed more on asking for things than any real sense of communion with God.

William Wilberforce, the 18th Century social reformer was a man who knew about busyness; he sacrificed his life and his health for the sake of abolishing the slave trade. But he was also by necessity a man of prayer. And he recognised that prayer was not simply a means of achieving an end, it was the source of life. He wrote “The shortening of devotions starves the soul, it grows lean and faint.”  If prayer is nourishment for the soul, there is a danger that many of us are essentially malnourished.

Here are the notes from the first two sessions of our school of prayer.

School of Prayer Session 1

School of Prayer Session 2

There is something lovely about september. Autumn is one of the most beautiful times of the year, and I enjoy the sense of new beginnings, getting organised, making plans for the year..

It is a new term at Church on the Corner. We have been doing lots of work on the building, and the old place is looking spruce.

The new teaching programme will be on the book of Genesis. Thinking about minor themes such as the origins of the universe, the nature of God and the meaning of existence.

It all gets started this Sunday 4th September at 7pm.

The Greenbelt Festival is, for many of us, the highlight of the summer and a good crowd from church will be attending. If you don’t have plans for the bank holiday I would highly recommend it. Church will be closed this sunday. We will be back for a new term on Sunday 4th September.

Well it was quite a night, as we said goodbye to Bee before she heads off to vicar factory. We recreated our favourite old COTC picture, and we sent her off with songs, prayers, tears and a comissioning from the Ordinal which went a bit like this:

May you be diligent in prayer, in reading Holy Scripture, and in all studies that will deepen your faith and fit you to bear witness to the truth of the gospel.

May you lead Christ’s people in proclaiming his glorious gospel, so that the good news of salvation may be heard in every place.

May you faithfully minister the doctrine and sacraments of Christ so that the people committed to your charge may be defended against error and flourish in the faith.

May you, knowing yourself to be reconciled to God in Christ, strive to be an instrument of God’s peace in the Church and in the world.

May you endeavour to fashion your life to the way of Christ, that you may be a pattern and example to Christ’s people.

May you work with your fellow servants in the gospel for the sake of the kingdom of God.

May you in the strength of the Holy Spirit, continually stir up the gift of God that is in you, to make Christ known among all whom you serve.

A Blessing:

God who has called you is faithful.

May the Father, whose glory fills the heavens,
cleanse you by his holiness
and send you to proclaim his word.

May Christ, who has ascended to the heights,
pour upon you the riches of his grace.

May the Holy Spirit, the comforter,
equip you and strengthen you in your ministry.

And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always.

Amen.

Gracious God,
We pray for peace in our communities this day.
We commit to you all who work for peace and an end to tensions,
And those who work to uphold law and justice.
We pray for an end to fear,
For comfort and support to those who suffer.
For calm in our streets and cities,
That people may go about their lives in safety and peace.
In your mercy, hear our prayers,
now and always.

Amen