Pastor Paul Rogers preaches on the first Sunday in Advent about preparing for Christmas

Ruth’s loving loyalty and Boaz’s act of redemption reverse all the despair and desperation of chapter 1 for Naomi. It is also the beginning of Israel’s rescue from lawlessness and godlessness, and later still, of Christ’s redeeming of the world. Our kinsman-redeemer replaces death with life, emptiness with fulness, homelessness with a home to come etc.

Pastor Paul Rogers preached on how Boaz was the kinsman redeemer for Ruth.

There is a contrast of Boaz with the other kinsman who wants the land but not the obligations that go with Ruth’s hand in marriage. Boaz knows the Law and uses it well, but goes beyond the letter of the law to the spirit of it, acting in Ruth, Naomi and the clan’s interest, not his own. He ensures Ruth is fully welcomed into the nation of Israel (vv11-12). As Christ had no need to give up his rights for our sake, so we should live lives of love which go beyond obligation to self-sacrificial love. Christ perfectly fulfilled the Law, so we are now freed from its restrictions to live by the Spirit and the law of love (Galatians 5).

Ruth courageously takes the initiative, and behind the scenes, God is also at work to provide. God wants us to welcome the outsider and care for the vulnerable.

Mark Gibson - 22/10/23.

The continuation of our series on the book of Ruth looking at "Beauty for Ashes" with guest speaker Ellie Hart, sharing a sermon titled The Return.

Ellie Hart - 15/10/23.

Key verses: 1 Chronicles 15:16-16:6

Central to the account of the return of the Ark is David's facilitation of intimate encounter with God through prayer and worship. Themes explored: 

• The place of praise/worship in our discipleship.
• The significance of corporate worship.
• Intimacy, and cultivating a 'vital relationship' with God.

Erica Richmond 24/09/2023

Pastor Paul Rogers shared a short prophetic message with the church.

Sunday 1st October 2023.

Making Church a Home and not just a House. Is the Home ready for the Prodigals to come back and what do we need to do to ensure it is?

David’s realisation that we must all walk in obedience to God’s ‘prescribed ways’ (1 Chr.15:13)

What could this mean for us as individuals and at a corporate level?

The Ark as a symbol of God’s presence and favour among his people.
Why knowing these is vital to our existence as individual disciples and
communities of faith.
❖ Why operating in our own strength and presumption is not how we
facilitate the favour of God (CF the unsettling example of Uzzah)

From the series "A Word to the Wise" from Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:1-11; 2:24-25; 3:9-13; 5:18-20; 6:9; 8:15

 Vapour/smoke has a temporary and fleeting nature which could encourage contrasting postures towards play and pleasure. 1. What’s the point in enjoying anything because it will eventually disappear? 2. I’m going to pursue as much pleasure as possible, while I have the opportunity. Is there a healthy balance to be found of not clinging on too tightly to things that bring us pleasure and making them idols (ref. Isaiah 44) but coupling this with a genuine enjoyment of the simple things in life and acknowledging them as gifts from God? If we give ourselves completely over to pleasure, satisfaction will be temporary and Monday morning always comes around. The teacher tried to find pleasure in lots of different areas, some of them not bad in and of themselves, but this only filled his life and didn’t bring fulfilment to it. This said, life is hard work, throws up all kinds of challenges and the teacher acknowledges that God has placed this burden on us so it’s important we enjoy ourselves in amongst our toil and hardships. A posture of total trust in God helps us to enjoy life as we actually experience it as opposed to pursuing how we think it ought to be.

Ryan Baxter 27/8/2023

From the series "A word to the Wise" from Ecclesiastes. 

Key Verses: Ecclesiastes 1:12-18; 2:12-16; 7:1-25; 8:1; 8:16-17; 9:13-10:4; 12:9-14

'Hebel' is an enigma/paradox and in life, particular actions don't always lead to the outcomes we expect. This brings into question what the point of wisdom and knowledge is when it can often be the case that there is little or no reward to demonstrating these qualities. This is a direct contrast to the Book of Proverbs where the general rule of thumb is that certain wise actions should result in positive and logical outcomes. However, even amongst the teacher’s scepticism, there is an underlying acceptance that cultivating and protecting wisdom in our lives is good for us but that ultimately, human wisdom has its limitations. The author in the closing poem fully endorses the teacher’s wisdom but concludes that we shouldn’t spend all our time trying to solve life’s existential puzzles and instead, fear the Lord and keep his commandments.

Paul Rogers 20/8/2023

From the series "A word to the Wise" from Ecclesiastes. 

Key Verses: Ecclesiastes 3:15-17; 4:1-3; 5:8-9; 8:9-14; 12:14

There’s so much beauty and goodness in the world but just when we’re enjoying it, hardship and tragedy has a habit of striking. Just like smoke which appears solid but quickly disperses when we try and grab hold of it. A lot of people carry a strong sense of justice but ‘bad’ things happen to ‘good’ people all the time which can cause disillusionment or at the very least, confusion. Oppression makes life bitter, sorrowful and destroys people and it’s often people or groups in positions of power who are culpable. A significant part of the closing poem highlights that it is God’s intention to bring every deed into judgment, whether good or bad. This should hopefully inspire us to cultivate lives of honesty and integrity, with the confidence that the injustices we and others experience in this life will be brought under God’s judgement.

Erica Richmond 13/8/2023

From the series "A word to the Wise" from Ecclesiastes. 

Key Verses: Ecclesiastes 1:3-11; 3:14; 3:18-21; 9:1-10

We spend a lot of energy and emotion on things that ultimately have no lasting meaning or significance. Eg. Wealth, work, pleasure, status.  Time will eventually erase us and everything we care about, with death being the great equaliser. The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus is the only thing that can combat the inevitability of time and death and in the meantime, He shows us why and how we should live, that true life is to know him and that it is He who ultimately ensures our lives have meaning and significance.

Paul Rogers 6/8/2023

What, on Earth, is God up to?  (Daniel 3 & Revelation 21)

In a world of uncertainty, what, on Earth, is God up to?

Paul Rogers 30.07.23

"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus" Acts 4:13

A look at some of the things which stop us from stepping out in seeking the Lord's will for our lives.

Simon Lau 23/07/23

From the series 'Fruitful Disciples' - Be Fruitful & Multiply

Perhaps the key quality of fruitfulness is multiplication. It is the nature of fruit to carry within it the seeds of reproduction, and Jesus expected that his followers would carry the message to others to believe in him, and prayed for their protection, joy, love, glory and unity as he sent them out to do so. Wherever it goes, the gospel bears the fruit of hope, faith and love, do we have this confidence in the Gospel?

Paul Rogers 16.07.23

From the series 'Fruitful Disciples' - Growing Pains & Gains.

In John 15:1-17, Jesus uses an extended metaphor to give profound teaching about discipleship. The only way to bear fruit is to remain in him and in his love, to let his words remain in us and obey his commands, and to allow the Father to prune anything out which would weaken our ability to be abundantly fruitful- not necessarily bad things. These things (loving connection, obedience and pruning) are easy to say and know intellectually, but some of the hardest to put into practice. 

Erica Richmond 09.07.23

From the series 'Fruitful Disciples' - The Fruitfulness of Christ

We are the fruit of Jesus’ life and sacrifice, and just as a seed reproduces the same kind of plant, so it is now Christ who lives in us. Our lifelong task is to live by the Spirit, not the flesh, so that we become increasingly like him, bearing fruit for God. This kind of fruitfulness is about the life of Christ flourishing in us. 

Karen Swaffield 02/07/23

From the series 'Fruitful Disciples' - Good Soil

In the Parable of the Soils (Mark 4:1-20), Jesus says it is the quality of the soil which determines the fruitfulness of the crop. How did Jesus ensure that his own life was good soil for a fruitful ministry? The key is in his baptism and temptation (Matthew 3:13-4:11): before he uttered a word of public preaching, Jesus was secure in his identity as God’s beloved Son, received the Spirit, and dealt with potential temptation and bad motivations before they could trip him up. He then continued to protect these things in his life. When we pay attention to these foundational things, we will be well-prepared, rich soil, not rocky, stony or thorny.

Paul Rogers 25.06.23

From the series 'Fruitful Disciples' - Are we Willing? (Matthew 14:22-33)

To be fruitful disciples, first we need to ask ourselves we willing to pursue Jesus in our own discipleship? Using the story of Peter walking on water, are we willing to get out of the boat!?

Chris Burgess 18.06.23

From the series 'Fruitful Disciples' - Designed for Fruitfulness 

From Genesis 1 onwards, we see God’s intentions to bless the earth with fruitfulness, flourishing and abundance. Land that is fruitful nourishes life and enables it to multiply. Israel failed at various times to be fruitful, because of their idolatry (Hosea 14:4-8) and, later, their rejection of Jesus (Matt 3:7-11).

Jesus taught that the fruit we bear reveals what is within (Luke 6:43-45), and that God has given his people the job of producing and gathering fruit (Matt 21:33-44) for Him. If bearing fruit shows that we are his disciples, what does it mean to produce and gather fruit? It is a life that matches the reality of being a new creation and pleases God, and which reproduces itself

Erica Richmond 11.06.23

From the series 'The Real Deal - Part 2' - Becoming an Outsider (Hebrews 13:1-14)

As we conclude this series, we spend time on the author's last remarks in this letter with some practical instructions to give faith a tangible outworking. As disciples of Jesus, there is a challenge for us to step out of our comfort zone as we do this.

Paul Rogers 04.06.23

Pentecost International Sunday - Acts 2

Today we celebrate being part of an international church! As we remember the day of Pentecost and the significance for the early church, what does it mean for us today as the church? Are we open to receive the Spirit? Do we continue to seek & be transformed?

Paul Rogers 28.05.23