St James' Church

Methodist/URC, Woolton, Liverpool, UK

Message from our minister:

Hello everyone, I hope you have coped with all the things that have been happening this week. Our garden is still a lake, but that's nothing compared to those affected by floods in Manchester, West Yorkshire, Maghull and other places. Our daughter, Kate, was offered the chance to be evacuated from her home in Northenden but decided to sit tight and hope for the best.

I saw some of the Inauguration of President Biden and found his words very appropriate. He called people to: "open our souls instead of hardening our hearts...Some days you need a hand. There are other days when we're called to lend a hand. That's how it has to be, that's what we do for one another....I promise this, as the Bible says, 'Weeping may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning'. We will get through this together".

I was also moved by the words of Rev Sylvester Beaman who prayed at the end of the ceremony: "Discovering our humanity, we will seek the good in and for all our neighbours. We will love the unlovable.... seek rehabilitation beyond correction, we will extend opportunity to those locked out of opportunity. We will make friends of our enemies. People, your people, shall no longer raise up weapons against one another, we will rather use our resources for the national good and become a beacon of life and goodwill to the world. And neither shall we learn hatred anymore."

Words for us to think about in our lives, our Church and our country too.
God Bless. Peter.

This week's picture relates to the call of the first disciples which features in our Gospel reading for Sunday. Just as Jesus called those fishermen long ago, he calls you and I to be disciples today. We could never have imagined a world affected by Covid 19 but we are all learning what it means to be followers of Jesus in the midst of troubled times.
"This is our benediction, that from these hallowed grounds where slaves laboured to build this shrine and citadel to liberty and democracy. Let us all acknowledge, from the indigenous Native American, to those who recently received their citizenship, from the African American to those
whose fore-parents came from Europe and every corner of the globe, from the wealthy to those struggling to make it, for every human being regardless of their choices, that this is our country. As such teach us, Oh God, to live in it. love in it, be healed in it and reconcile to one another in it. Lest we miss Kingdom's goal. To your glory, majesty, dominion and power, forever. Hallelujah! Glory! Hallelujah! In the strong name of our collective faith, Amen. "This is our benediction.......teach us, Oh God, to live in it. love in it, be healed in it and reconcile to one another in it. Lest we miss Kingdom's goal. To your glory, majesty, dominion and power, forever. Hallelujah! Glory!
Hallelujah! In the strong name of our collective faith, Amen."

St James are now the proud owners of a defibrillator thanks to the fund raising walk by Rob Swindells of the BB with help from Amy and team in the GB.  This machine was purchased from the Oliver King Foundation and is now fitted in the front entrance of the Church Hall. To find out more about the Oliver King Foundation contact:

• Web:  www.theoliverkingfoundation.co.uk
  
• Email: info@theoliverkingfoundation.co.uk
  
• Twitter @TheOKFoundation Tel: 0151 728 3470
  

Or look at one of the booklets placed on the information table in church.