Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(1 Cor 1:3NIV)
I always give thanks to my God for you because of the grace he has given you through Christ Jesus.( 1 Cor 1:4 GNB)
My prayer is that our fellowship with you as believers will bring about a deeper understanding of every blessing which we have in our life in union with Christ.( Philemon 1:6 GNB)
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, (Eph 3:16 NIV)
As I spent time this week in Clergy School I was reminded of the power of prayer and its role in the life of the parish. I was reminded of how prayer has held us together and drawn us deeper into the presence of God, in a world where activity and outcomes and physical things have taken centre stage, we have been reminded that it is our spiritual bond developed through common worship in the reading of scripture and praying for each other, that our spirituality takes centre stage, and when all our actions stem out of prayer and contemplation God’s purposes are fulfilled.
So be faithful dear friends, God has called us to be a community of ministers of his mercy and grace. ‘God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.( 1 Peter:4:10 NLT) I want to encourage you to participate in the pastoral care of one another, the worship life of one another, to pray for each other and to build each other up in the faith. Your witness of God’s mercy and grace in your life can and should inspire others to not lose heart and to remain faithful to the Gospel which you have received. Take your prayer life seriously and put into action the gifts that God has given you to serve one another in humility and with compassion.
“Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Eph 5:15-21 NIV)
‘Let us give glory to God! He is able to make you stand firm in your faith, according to the Good News I preach about Jesus Christ and according to the revelation of the secret truth which was hidden for long ages in the past.’( Rom 16:25 GNB)
Like St Paul longlining to see you and share the Gospel with you I assure you of my prayers and pray that you will give yourself to full participation in the life of the Church that our community may be built up and strengthened through the gifts that God has given you for the upliftment of His people.
The blessing of the Triune God be upon you.
Fr andrew
