Life January 2021

Three little words...
2020 has been a year most of us will want to forget!
So as we turn the corner towards a New Year, we have
a “grunt” to help us.
The English word for motto comes from the Latin
mutum, which means to mutter or grunt. So a motto
is a short phrase with a big punch.
Hands, face and space was one of several
Government mottos which populated 2020.
In 2021 Lansdowne’s grunt motto is
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,
faithful in prayer.”
(Romans 12:12)
It’s tucked away in a series of commands which Paul
issues to the Christians in Rome. He is writing at this
point to tell them how they are to live as Members of
the Church and as citizens of the State.
So as we pivot from one year to the next, what do
we need to have onboard if we are going to navigate
our circumstances, manage our lives and keep
moving forward. Three qualities- joy, patience and
faithfulness.
We are to pray with a consistency, so that whatever
happens we’ll be walking on our knees. We are
to embrace trials and afflictions with positive
acceptance. We are to operate as people of hope by
choosing joy.
In 2021, with the impact of Covid 19 still a significant
issue and the great prospect of our new Church
building opening in the summer, we have lots of
opportunities to exercise the Christian muscles of
joy, patience and faithfulness.
Here’s to grunting three little words!
Peter Baker | Senior Minister