The Beacon April 2011 - Beacon Parish of Ditchling, Streat ...

But it was said that it was Edward King’s simplicity and gentleness in confrontingthe Archbishop and his colleagues that resulted in most of his practices beingupheld – a more combative defence might have been more costly. His practicewas really following his preaching. He himself advised his candidates forordination, that their preaching would never be effective or worthwhile unless itwas firmly rooted in a life of prayer and a love for their parishioners.Richard AllenBible NotesWe hear of the Church being persecuted in so many countries and now recentlyeven more in Egypt. Even in this country, we are finding rights and legalities areso contrary to our beliefs and what we feel is the truth. Jesus warned us in hisconversation with the disciples in St John 15: 18-19 “If the world hates you, keepin mind it hated me first. If you belonged to the world it would love you as itsown. As it is you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of theworld.”And Jesus goes on in Ch 16: 1-4 saying that when these persecutions occur wewill remember that Jesus warned us.“It is what the Church has been callingfor … for 2000 years”So the Bible Society is encouraging people, especially those in politics, to leadthe charge to change the nation’s values, to rethink their habits in the light ofthe economic crisis. Bestselling author and political campaigner at a prayerbreakfast said “We need a moral recovery to accompany an economic recovery …we don’t need business as usual. We need a new way of operating on a personallevel and on economic and national levels”; to which David Burrons MP said “It iswhat the Church has been calling for … for 2000 years”.Some Nigerian representatives at the Westminster Prayer Breakfast said it wasan important step in encouraging Nigerian leaders to turn to God’s work in thechallenges they face. So this year they held their first ever Prayer Breakfastwhere a Kenyan speaker quoting Jesus’ teaching on servanthood, he asked “Howmuch space have we dedicated to God to enable him to influence our decisions?”Proverbs 4:4-5 “Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commandsand you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words orswerve from them.”12