Harvest

This morning we gathered at St Peter's for our Harvest Celebrations. We also said farewell to Liz and presented her with her leaving gifts including the pink stole she requested. Thanks to all who donated harvest goods, these have been shared between Oadby Food Bank and the Welcome Project.

Totally Forgiving Ourselves

"But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus" (Phil.3.14)

I was struck this week by one of my daily readings which came from RT Kendall's book Totally Forgiving Ourselves where he writes, 'I must now define what I mean by totally forgiving ourselves: it is accepting God's forgiveness of all my past sins and failures so completly that I equally let myself off the hook for my past as God himself has done. It also means I must forgive others totally. This is an example of what it means to love my neighbour as myself...Why should God require me to accept his forgiveness and command me to forgive others but close his eyes as to whether I have forgiven myself? He doesn't. I'm sorry, but this matter of forgiving ourselves is not an optional extra in God's plan for us; it is something we are required to do as obedient children of our heavenly Father.'

Alpha Testimony - Shane Taylor

Also found this testimony really moving in last night's Alpha talk...

Forgiveness

A great quote from Nicky Gumbel in last night's Alpha talk on 'Why did Jesus die?'

The first to apologise is the bravest.

The first to forgive is the strongest.

The first to forget is the happiest. 

"Everything happens for a reason" — and other lies I've loved

We have been sharing parts of this excellent TED talk as part of our assemblies in Manor High School this week. A real reminder that God is with us always, in the good times and in the tough times too.

Sign up to be a community reserve volunteer

Through Young People's Eyes - A Youth Work Sunday Poem

Youth Work Sunday 2019 CUs Video

Soul Survivor 2019

Multicultural Communities

Today  St. Paul’s gave a special welcome to the Revd Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy, the Diocesan Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Mission and Ministry Enabler.  He told us of the challenges and exciting opportunities facing the diocese and our parish, which is one of five churches selected to be multicultural communities.

Great North Run: 8 September

Congratulations to Steve for completing the 13.1 miles of the Great North Run in 1hr 56 minutes (an impressive personal best).  Mo Farrar watch out!
Thank you to everyone who sponsored him as, so far, he has raised around £700 for CSW.  However, it’s not too late if you would like to add to this total!  Sponsorship forms are at the back of church or go to: https://wonderful.org/fundraiser/greatnorthrun-5a19dcb6.

Giving a Voice to the Voiceless

Today, our rector, Steve Bailey was not in church. Instead, he was taking part in the Great North Run – a half Marathon which starts in Newcastle and runs to South Shields via Gateshead. He was doing this to support the work of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, whose work of trying to give everyone the right to worship, wherever they live in the world was described by our speaker last week. Many of the congregation had taken sponsor forms or had supported him by the Internet.

We wish him, and the work of CSW, well.

Brothers and Sisters Pray for Us

On Sunday we had a visiting speaker, Bill Lowe, from "Christian Solidarity Worldwide." He gave many examples from around the world where Christianity was unacceptable to the government or to society, or to a religion that does not have a culture of tolerance. Hostility to Christians varies from depriving them of civil rights right up to imprisonment and even death. Those who turn from another religion to Christianity are greatest at risk.

An Iranian in the congregation who had turned to Christ told of his persecution, which ultimately led to him having to leave the country.

Let's never forget our privilege of being able to worship without restriction, and pray for those less fortunate.

We are The Diocese of Leicester!