PACT News
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Faith Comment: Major Mike Harris, Petersfield Salvation Army. “Jam First?”
25th July – Major Mike Harris, Petersfield Salvation Army
Jam First?
As I write, summer finally seems to have arrived! I think it is fair to say that the weather is one of those things that we sometimes obsess over. It is nice to be able to appreciate the world in which we live without the need for raincoats, umbrellas and waders.
Obsession is too strong but, as a Cornishman, I do feel strongly that it has to be jam first; a scone (or split), lightly buttered, a portion of jam and a large dollop of clotted cream. The debate about jam or cream will continue but, in reality, my preference isn’t ideological. The amount of cream I am going to have can only go on top.
My purpose in asking the question is to underline the fact that so often we get heated and passionate about trivial things; Where do you store ketchup? Does a pineapple belong on a pizza and, coming back to the original subject, is it pronounced scon or scone? We are often prepared to argue our case, to nail our colours to the mast – even with trivial matters.
In 1968, the summer Olympics took place in Mexico City, Tommie Smith and John Carlos (USA) won 200 mtrs gold and bronze with Peter Norman (Aus) took the silver. During The Star-Spangled Banner, both USA athletes, with heads bowed, gave a black power salute. The USA, in the aftermath of Martin Luther King’s assassination, was only beginning it’s human rights struggle.
The third athlete, Peter Norman, is often overlooked but he identified with their cause and wore an Olympic Projects for Human Rights badge. In October 2012, The Australian House of Representatives passed a motion acknowledging his achievements and apologizing for his treatment after the Olympics – the apology came 6 years after Norman’s death, when both American athletes had been pallbearers.
What are the issues, inequalities and injustices that we should be passionate about and how do we address them – for that matters far more than how we eat a cream tea.
July shortages list – Petersfield Food Bank
Savoury biscuits
Savoury extras e.g. mayonnaise, tomato sauce, crisps
Sweet biscuits
Long life semi skimmed milk
Small bags of granulated sugar
Sweet extras e.g KitKats
Orange squash – regular sized bottles
Tinned fruit
Dry dog food
Soap bars or pumps
Long grain or basmati rice
Jam
Tinned vegetables
Tins of soup
Baked beans
Tinned tomatoes
Bags for life
Faith Comment – David Muskett, Petersfield Methodist Church: Give to Caesar?
27 June – David Muskett, Petersfield Methodist Church
Give to Caesar?
As we approach a General Election we hear in many places that religion and politics should be kept separate. Jesus is quoted in support of the view: ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’
Jesus was not commenting on whether or not the minister should be supporting a political party from the pulpit. He was reacting to a question about paying taxes which was designed to trap him.
In modern terms, giving to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s is simply about working within the law; paying taxes that are legally due; taking part in the organisation of the people in whatever way is required or allowed.
So, what about ‘give to God the things that are God’s?’ What are the things that are God’s?
What is to be given to God – and only to God – is worship.
But that’s not just an hour on a Sunday. Worship is about the offering of ourselves: all that we are and all that we’re involved in.
Jesus’ favourite subject was the Kingdom of God. It’s a political phrase which puts God in the position of the rulers. Giving ourselves to God is about being part of God’s Kingdom so that the ways of this world are more like the ways of God.
Two quotations from the Book of the Prophet Micah come to mind:
Everyone will sit under their own vine and their own fig tree and no one will make them afraid. (Micha 4:4)
He has told you what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micha 6:8)
Faith Comment – Ben Cornell, Hope Church: Easy is the wrong god
20 June – Ben Cornell, Hope Church
Easy is the wrong god
Life is not easy (except for one friend of mine, who claims to have reached his mid thirties without any real bumps in the road. Every rule has an exception I suppose). But for the rest of us… We want it to be easy.
It is certainly sold to us as easy in every advert and shop window. The great lie of our culture: life will be easy if… I suppose we start to believe it should be, so we complain when it isn’t. We look for someone to blame. In the 5 star world, the pinnacle of aspiration for many, people fall over themselves to make life so easy we need not lift a finger. Or so it seems.
I heard a new term recently: lawnmower parents. Parents who seek to remove all obstacles from their child’s path. Acting out of love, of course. But, as the saying goes (at least it might now), Easy is the wrong god. Easy is a fantasy. Pursuit of it produces only disappointment and complaint. It certainly does not engender character growth or spiritual growth.
If the pursuit of ease finds its way into our prayer life, however subtly, we will find ourselves praying upstream. God is interested in our spiritual and character growth, specifically growth of our trust in him, dependence upon him. And in that, easy is the enemy. Easy means I don’t need God. Easy means I don’t need to grow. I have it all. I have arrived. Yay. Go me! Except easy can only ever be a facade or a temporary respite from the harsh reality of life in a world infected with sin. We seem to look for it everywhere, but surely, we know we are chasing rainbows.
So, I say again: Easy is the wrong god.
Faith Comment – John Callaghan, The Kings Arms Youth Project
13 June – John Callaghan, Chair of Trustees
The Kings Arms transforms young lives
Across the Nation reports have come in from schools and local councils concerning the many children still suffering anxiety from the effects of Covid lockdown. For some children this has resulted in total isolation from their schools and community and a few are unable to even leave their bedrooms. Youth workers across the country set about devising schemes to remedy this problem and, the team at the Kings Arms were mobilised to find an answer.
In partnership with a local school they identified a small group totally stranded in their homes. Initially the KA team visited them at home and after this they were invited to attend the youth club instead of school. All of those who came to the youth club building daily, were welcomed by the wonderful staff and volunteers and they were invited to engage in all sorts of non academic activities! Later on the local school sent teachers to guide them through essential subjects such as Maths and English and after attending the clubs and receiving their lessons for a year I can report they have all taken all their GSCE exams!
Change can happen! With some help we can leave the past behind and build a better future.
Thank you to the people and churches of Petersfield who continue to support this amazing project.
Job Opportunity At St Peters
Deadline Extended
Faith Comment – Naomi Gordon-Smith, St Mary’s Buriton
Naomi Gordon-Smith, St Mary’s Buriton
Three Kings and some Lions
Four young men, from royal and noble families, were taken into exile and chosen to serve their new king, Nebuchadnezzar. They were bright and handsome, and preferred a vegetarian diet. The king had a disturbing dream, but what was it and what did it mean? Only Daniel had the answer.
Daniel’s three friends, posted elsewhere in the empire, refused to bow down to an enormous gold statue, and were thrown into a huge furnace as their punishment. King Nebuchadnezzar was amazed to see them walking around in the fire, together with an angel, all unharmed.
Daniel interpreted another of the king’s dreams, which warned him about the consequences of arrogance and pride. A year later, King Nebuchadnezzar became temporarily insane, eating grass like cattle, until he acknowledged that God is in charge of human affairs.
Some time later, the next king, Belshazzar, gave a banquet and used golden goblets that had been stolen from God’s Temple. A mysterious hand wrote on the wall, and the king’s days were numbered and his kingdom lost.
So what became of Daniel, under the next king, Darius?
He ended up in a lions’ den overnight because he refused to stop praying three times a day. At dawn, the king hurried to the den and asked, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”. Daniel answered, “O King, live forever! My God sent his angel and he shut the mouths of the lions”.
As Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Read the whole story in the book of Daniel in the Old Testament of the Bible.
FreeBibleimages: Youth Outreach (YO!) John Stanley
PACT PRAYER WEEKEND: 8th/9th June 2024
The next PACT Prayer Weekend will take place across 8th and 9th June, at the Methodist Church.
- Come and make a difference in prayer for our hurting world
Romans 8 v26 For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Matthew 6:6. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.