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Issue 15 -The Messenger - 28th June 2020

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St James<br />

<strong>June</strong> 28 th <strong>2020</strong><br />

<strong>Messenger</strong><br />

<strong>Issue</strong> <strong>15</strong><br />

Stop Complaining<br />

Lamenting well<br />

Fatherhood


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2<br />

Stop<br />

Complaining<br />

Unfortunately for some people<br />

complaining or whingeing and<br />

whining is a way of life and when I<br />

think about this I’m reminded of<br />

that old TV sitcom ‘One foot in the<br />

Grave’, with the short-tempered<br />

Victor Meldrew and his endless<br />

saga of negativity and complaints.<br />

Whether you believe it or not (pardon the pun) unfortunately<br />

complaining isn’t just a laughing matter as it was in the sitcom, but<br />

something that can lead to much more than having a laugh on TV.<br />

It’s about a state of mind and general outlook on life and quite often<br />

it needs someone to snap us out of that thinking.<br />

In Philippians 4 Paul says this: - “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I<br />

will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in<br />

everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your<br />

requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which<br />

surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds<br />

in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is<br />

honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,<br />

whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is<br />

anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”


.<br />

3<br />

Maybe you could discuss these questions with a family member,<br />

friend, or member of your lyfe Group. Use a communication method<br />

that works best for your situation.<br />

Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group. Have you<br />

felt like complaining about anything recently? If so, what?<br />

What’s something you’re grateful for right now?<br />

Start thinking. How do you think complaining or negative thinking<br />

affects you?<br />

Have you ever personally experienced any benefits of gratitude?<br />

What kind of difference did gratitude make in your life?<br />

Read Philippians 4:4-7. How would your life be different if your heart<br />

and mind were always guarded by God’s peace?<br />

Start sharing.<br />

Choose a question to create openness. How can you start practicing<br />

gratitude this week? What are some ways you can share your<br />

gratefulness with others?<br />

Start Looking praying. forward to Easter<br />

Be<br />

News<br />

bold and<br />

about<br />

pray<br />

our Foodbank<br />

with power.Father, thank You for all the ways in<br />

which Update You from bless the us Church and support Planting us. TeamIn good times and hard times,<br />

we pray that You’ll remind us of the work You’re doing in our lives.<br />

Give us the thankful hearts we need to express the gratitude You<br />

deserve. In Jesus’ name, amen.<br />

Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.<br />

Consider the ways God has been at work in your life.<br />

<strong>The</strong>n take time to thank God and worship Him for all He’s done.


.<br />

4<br />

Lament<br />

without<br />

Complaining<br />

You could say Lament without Complaining is another oxymoron,<br />

because the definition of lamenting is ‘to have a passionate<br />

expression of grief or sorrow’, but I think theres much more to it than<br />

that.<br />

Lamenting is what king David did in 70% of the Psalms, expressing<br />

deep sorrow for the travails of a nation asking for God's blessing and<br />

intervention.<br />

Lament Looking is forward uniquely to Christian Easter and the book of Lamentations weeps<br />

over News the about destruction our Foodbank of Jerusalem. Jesus also lamented in the final<br />

hours Update of his from life. the But Church lamenting Planting is Team not just weeping or venting our<br />

anger over a situation, It’s more than that, it’s a form of prayer.<br />

Lament talks to God about pain and has a unique purpose: trust. It is<br />

a divinely-given invitation to pour out our fears, frustrations, and<br />

sorrows for the purpose of helping us to renew our confidence in<br />

God.<br />

Often a lament begins by an address to God: “How long, O Lord?<br />

Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from<br />

me?” (Psalm 13:1) <strong>The</strong> point is that the person in pain chooses to<br />

talk to God about what’s happening.


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5<br />

psalm13<br />

Every lament features some kind of<br />

questioning: “How long must I take<br />

counsel in my soul and have sorrow in<br />

my heart all the day? How long shall<br />

my enemy be exalted over me?” (v2).<br />

This is more than a sinful rehearsing<br />

of our anger, biblical lament humbly<br />

and honestly identifies the pain,<br />

questions, and frustrations raging in<br />

our souls.<br />

Seeking God’s help while in pain is an act of faith: “Consider and<br />

answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep<br />

of death, lest my enemy say, ‘I have prevailed over him,’ lest my foes<br />

rejoice because I am shaken” (v3-4). Unremitting sorrow can create a<br />

deadly silence as we give in to despair (“there’s no hope”) or denial<br />

Looking forward to Easter<br />

(“everything’s fine”). But lament invites us to dare to hope in God’s<br />

News about our Foodbank<br />

promises as we ask for his help.<br />

Update from the Church Planting Team<br />

Choosing to trust is the purpose for our laments. All roads lead here:<br />

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in<br />

your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully<br />

with me” (v5-6). More than the stages of grief, this prayer language<br />

moves us to renew our commitment to trust in God as we navigate<br />

the brokenness of life.<br />

Lament is the prayer language for God’s people as they live in a<br />

world marred by sin. It’s how we talk to God about our sorrows as we<br />

renew our hope in his sovereign care.<br />

To cry is human, but to lament is Christian.<br />

Elements<br />

of Lament


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6<br />

A reflection on last week<br />

After Father's Day last weekend, a number of men have been<br />

Looking forward to Easter<br />

reflecting on what it really means to be a father / dad and I suppose<br />

News about our Foodbank<br />

a lot of that applies to being a grandad too.<br />

Update from the Church Planting Team<br />

Fatherhood's an incredible privilege, one that we should thank God<br />

for every day, but which too easily we grow accustomed to and take<br />

for granted and, if we're not careful, occasionally resent (for<br />

instance, after weeks without having a good sleep!)<br />

When we consider our Father's sacrifice for us, any sacrifices we<br />

can make for our children are small. When you're worn out,<br />

remember the people who can't have children or who have lost a<br />

child, who long every day for the opportunity to be run ragged by<br />

these precious little inconveniences.


Some passages for you to look-up: -<br />

1 Kings 2:1-10 1 Timothy 2:2<br />

2 Corinthians Acts 20:35<br />

Ephesians 5 John <strong>15</strong><br />

Psalm 112:1 Psalm 37:26<br />

Parenthood is a<br />

calling, far more<br />

important than any<br />

vocation.<br />

Our children and<br />

grandchildren are an<br />

ongoing investment, a gift<br />

we leave to a world we<br />

won't be part of, but which<br />

we will impact for eternity<br />

through the generations that<br />

follow us. It will at times<br />

seem long and difficult, but<br />

when your children are<br />

grown-up you'll look back in<br />

wonder at how quickly the<br />

time went by...<br />

“Even when I am old and grey,<br />

do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your<br />

power to the next generation,<br />

your mighty acts to all who are to come.”<br />

Psalm 71:18<br />

7


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8<br />

Send us your stories...<br />

Just email your stories to harry@james4u.org<br />

Pandemic Humour<br />

I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon…I’ll let you know.<br />

I have a great joke about cliffhangers…<br />

My least favourite colour is purple…<br />

I hate it more than red and blue combined.<br />

How does the moon cut his hair? Eclipse it.<br />

Why did King Arthur sign up for so many Zoom meetings?<br />

Because he likes to be on cam a lot.<br />

Why was the little boy afraid of his colouring book?<br />

He didn't want to catch the crayola virus.<br />

Want to listen to our talks on the go<br />

Download the Soundcloud App. for Apple or Android<br />

Go to our website www.james4u.org click on the Soundcloud icon


.<br />

9<br />

10am church<br />

on-line<br />

Stop complaining<br />

Phil. 4:4-7<br />

Looking forward to Easter<br />

News about our Foodbank<br />

Update from the Church Planting Team<br />

www.James4u.org<br />

Next Week<br />

5 th July<br />

Mavis Rouse<br />

https://www.facebook.com/james4u.org/<br />

https://www.facebook.com/stjameschurchthornton<br />

https://twitter.com/harry_gwinnett<br />

Follow the link via our website @ www.James4u.org<br />

If you need help connecting, just give us a call on<br />

01274 830 133 or email harry@James4u.org


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10<br />

<strong>The</strong><br />

Church<br />

Building<br />

Please note that from<br />

the 5 th July our<br />

Church building is<br />

open for private<br />

prayer on Sundays<br />

between 1pm and<br />

3pm.<br />

Anyone wishing to enter the<br />

building will be temperature<br />

screened and asked to<br />

comply with strict social<br />

distancing regulations to<br />

ensure that everyone<br />

remains safe.<br />

If you would like someone to<br />

pray for or with you please text<br />

or phone our Prayer line<br />

07379 39 <strong>15</strong> 18<br />

Don’t forger that on Tuesdays at<br />

9am we meet for prayer and you<br />

can connect with us via Zoom or<br />

by using your normal landline<br />

telephone and it’s a Freephone<br />

telephone number.<br />

To connect via the internet or<br />

smartphone use the following<br />

num. 996-9646-3899<br />

To connect via Telephone call<br />

0800 260 5801 FREEPHONE<br />

0800 031 5717 FREEPHONE<br />

0330 088 5830 Local rate<br />

When prompted enter the<br />

following num. 996-9646-3899#


.<br />

We would<br />

love your<br />

support<br />

During this pandemic our<br />

funding have taken an<br />

unprecedented fall and we<br />

are asking everyone to<br />

think seriously about<br />

helping.<br />

If you give to St James<br />

you’d be fuelling what we<br />

know God is doing in the<br />

midst of this crisis and<br />

safeguarding the future of<br />

St James’.<br />

Many ways to help<br />

on-line<br />

www.james4u.org<br />

bank<br />

Barclays Bank<br />

Parochial Church Council of<br />

Thornton Parish Church<br />

20-11-81 40891355<br />

post<br />

300 Thornton Road, Thornton<br />

Bradford BD13 3AB<br />

text<br />

2FROMME to 70085 to give £2<br />

5FROMME to 70085 to give £5<br />

10FROMME to 70085 to give £10

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