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Rooted and called by a New Name – ‘Transformed’
Wednesday Jan 12, 2022
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![]() It is unfortunate that sometimes we reduce people to a challenge, a mistake, an experience, or a particular time of their lives. It is as if they are only identifiable by whatever disability they have or by the one negative story that we know about them. So, we end up using incomplete, inaccurate, and hurtful labels to describe them. Like “Blind Sally” or “jailbird Tom”, and so on. The truth is, we are not fully known by one quality, one action, or one thing that might even be true about us. Regrettably, persons often believe that they are named by their circumstances and over time ‘buy into’ whatever that name represents. An example of this can be seen in the story of a disabled woman whom Jesus healed while she was in the synagogue on the Sabbath. please click here for more information (PDF file) |
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Being Rooted: Called to Remember God’s Reassurance by Rev Euthman Wray
Wednesday Jan 05, 2022
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![]() Please read Isaiah 43: 1-7 A reading of the Deutero-Isaiah text of Isaiah 43, gives one a sense of a nation in urgent need of consolation, assurance, and hope. They have been in a tough place, in a state of ambivalence or even hopelessness. The previous chapter (42) ended with the prophet giving warnings of a condition that wasn’t favorable nor appealing. While Israel, God’s chosen nation was … “His servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight…” (42: 1), by the end of that chapter, they were described as a people plundered and looted; trapped in pits, or hidden away in prisons (42: 22f); Hope was waning. Encouragement sadly lacking. The prophet, here in Chapter 43, in seeking to bring that sense of reassurance, first highlights even further their perilous plight, using the images of waters and rivers; fire and flame. Verse 2 reads: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze”. Waters, rivers, fire and flame are harsh depictions of greatest difficulties and dangers which are very imminent and threatening. Later in verses 5 & 6, he also describes God’s people as being scattered in the east, west, north and south (43 vs. 5 &6). please click here for more information (PDF file) |
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In Everything...with Thanksgiving by Rev Dr Yvette Noble-Bloomfield
Wednesday Dec 29, 2021
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![]() In a few days, the curtain will close on 2021 and the dawn of the new year will begin. Although the challenges during 2021 were many and varied, because of God’s divine providence we were resilient and persisted in accomplishing all the undertakings. We can therefore enter 2022 with a deep sense of gratitude because of all that God allowed us to achieve by God’s grace in 2021. However, we need to take note of the fact that in our personal lives, in the community and the Church, the start of a new year is always an opportune time for reflection and recommitment. Despite God’s faithfulness and our faith, some persons will enter 2022 being particularly and completely worn out by the gruelling nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially with the realities of the last four months in the Cayman Islands. With the upsurge in the COVID-19 positive cases, the deaths that have occurred, the new Omicron variant and the seeming never end insight to the vicissitudes of the pandemic, some persons are challenged to remain hopeful. please click here for more information (PDF file) |
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Christmas Message -From the RDGS
Wednesday Dec 22, 2021
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![]() Warm Christmas Greetings, As we enter into the Christmas Season, we are invited to reflect on the words the Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians. Colossae was a thriving town in Asia Minor and was famous for the quality of the wool produced there. Although Paul may not have visited Colossae, he earnestly wrote to them while he was in prison in Rome. This was occasioned because of the false doctrine being taught by some persons regarding the incarnation of Christ, particularly that God was too holy to make contact with human flesh and remain undefiled. Further, it was being taught in the Church in Colossae that salvation would only be for those who completely observed the Mosaic law. Of particular interest to us is the pericope in Colossians 3:12-17 in which Paul enjoined the Colossian Christians to live according to God’s expectation. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. please click here for more information (PDF file) |
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Advent 3- The Sunday of Love
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
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![]() During the first three Sundays, -and weeks- of Advent, Christians around the world focused on the themes of Hope, Peace, and Joy as essential aspects of our faith. Now, that we have arrived at the final week of this season, we complete our spiritual journey and preparation for Christmas by focusing on Love. The miracle of Christmas is the wonderful love of God which was poured out into this world and into every heart that is ready to receive Jesus. He is the love of God in human form, the Love Incarnate, the embodiment of God’s love. The love of God, Jesus, breathes life into the deepest part of our broken and wayward hearts. It changes and transforms us into a new being, a new creation. How comforting and empowering to know, to embrace, and be embraced by this amazing love. Amid our loneliness, confusion, pain, grief, hopelessness, and disillusionment He comes and in Him, we find acceptance, understanding, healing, hope, peace, and joy. Jesus is, indeed, the greatest gift of all! The priceless gift, the gift that is freely given, the gift that is so much needed please click here for more information (PDF file) |
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Advent 3- The Sunday of Joy
Wednesday Dec 08, 2021
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![]() The Season of Advent reminds us of the importance of spiritual preparedness, of the readying of our hearts and minds for the life-transforming presence of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. On the 1st Sunday in Advent, we lit the candle of Hope in our churches as a reminder that as followers of Jesus Christ, we are the people of hope. On the 2nd Sunday in Advent, we lit the candle of Peace as a reminder that we are the people of a special kind of peace, one that transcends all understanding. The 3rd candle today reminds us that we are also the people of joy. Joy is fundamentally different from happiness. Happiness is a temporary feeling dependent on favorable circumstances and events that seldom last and can change quickly. Joy, on the contrary, is a choice, a decision of our inner being, the recognition and appreciation of God’s presence in our lives, the treasuring of our relationship with God. In addition to this, it is also the recognition of God’s many favors to us, the celebration of God’s goodness and love, forgiveness and mercy, God’s gifts, promises, and countless blessings. In our fallen world, almost everything is about chasing the promise of happiness in some way or another and many lives are ruined directly or indirectly in its relentless pursuit. Let us remember not to fall into the same trap. please click here for more information (PDF file) |
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Advent 2 - Peace
Wednesday Dec 01, 2021
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![]() The Season of Advent reminds us of the importance of spiritual preparedness, of the readying of our hearts and minds for the life transforming presence of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. On the 1st Sunday in Advent we lit the candle of Hope in our churches as a reminder that as followers of Jesus Christ we are the people of hope. On the 2nd Sunday in Advent we light the candle of Peace. Jesus’ birth was announced by a great company of angels saying “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14) But knowing all too well our sinful nature we may wonder if peace is possible at all. Wars, fights, conflicts, anxieties and stresses of all kinds mar our human existence on every possible level and there seems to be no respite from their destructive force. Today we are reminded that there is peace that transcends all understanding and that it is available to all of us through faith in Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:7). It is the kind of peace that the world cannot give, a peace that is more than simply the absence of conflict, worry and stress. It is God’s peace that brings a sense of contentment and gratitude; a sense of clarity and purpose; a sense of responsibility and mission even in the worst of circumstances. please click here for more information (PDF file) |
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The Season of Advent
Wednesday Nov 24, 2021
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![]() The beginning of the Advent season signals the coming of Christmas and so our preparations begin. There are gifts to buy, cards to send, menus to plan for, people to see. The four Sundays – and weeks - of Advent remind us of the importance of the spiritual aspect of this preparation, the readying of our hearts and minds, not only for the celebration of Jesus’ birth (1st coming) but also for His future return in glory (2nd coming) when He will set up His kingdom, judge His enemies, and reward the faithful, both living and dead. Advent is full of symbolism and meaning, which is also reflected by the themes of the four Sundays/weeks. please click here for more information (PDF file) |
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Jesus is Coming Back, Share the Good News While You Can! by Mr Michael Bowerman
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
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![]() I have a boyhood memory of returning home one afternoon and not being able to find either of my parents. Now, I had been brought up in a Christian home, and one of the things I had learned was that one day, without warning, Jesus was going to come back and all Christians would be “raptured” – caught up with Jesus in the sky and taken to heaven, leaving the rest behind. I thought that was what had happened; my parents had been raptured and I hadn’t because I hadn’t received Jesus as my Saviour and Lord. It seriously frightened me to think such a thing might have happened and I hadn’t been ready, and this was one of the factors that convinced me a little later, when I was about 12, to accept Him as my Saviour and Lord. please click here for more information (PDF file) |
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Jesus The Once and For All Sacrifice by Mr Herbert Crawford
Wednesday Nov 10, 2021
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![]() Please read Hebrews 10:1-13 Our church has been focusing on A Culture of Evangelism especially in these difficult and trying times with the Covid-19 pandemic raging everywhere and where many are forced to stay home which is impacting the life and witness of the Church. Last week Sunday, we reflected on the Reformation started by Martin Luther in 1517 when he challenged the Roman Catholic Church with his 95 theses. This Reformation started a new wave of evangelism as people all over the world came to a better understanding of what the Word of God demanded from us as Christians. As we, believers try to engender a culture of evangelism, we must remember that lost people matter to God and therefore we need to be more intentional in our efforts to reach out to the lost and those who are groping in the dark. Our lifestyle and mindset must be one that demonstrates the love of God which was expressed for humanity through the death of His Son Jesus Christ who paid the once and for all sacrifice for sin and today He is seated at the right hand of God making intercession for us. This good news of the love of God in Christ must be shared by all of us who name the name of Jesus and especially now when so many people are afraid and petrified of the present climate in which we are living. please click here for more information (PDF file) |
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