The Church Of The Holy Rood -- Wool, Dorset, U.K.

II - Preaching series, 16th September - 21st October: “Discerning the Vision for the Future”

1. 16th September: What do we mean by a vision for the future?

“Vision is a picture of the future that produces passion.” (Bill Hybels)

Genesis 2.15 -25: God invites us to examine our situation so we can be rooted in reality, understand the problems of our communities and be a part of the solution - like Adam's rib! Revelation 22.1 -7: God's will for all people is to develop to our full potential, in the light of His presence.

For reflection and prayer: Take time to ponder these answers to the question: What might God he dreaming for Holy Rood?

	That the walls might dissolve - time walls as well as space walls - that we would spill out all over the area
	Joyful, vibrant trusting people
	A resource for allowing Christianity to become a part of more people's lives
	To be a place of healing and influence and light known as a really important asset to the whole community, reaching out to ..... the deprived areas
	That it came down off the hill and joined the village community

Look at the people around and try to identify some of the needs they might have and how we might be able to respond. Ask God to show you how He wants you to develop to your full potential? Ask God to show you one way in which as church we might help others to discover God's purpose for their lives.

Heavenly Father, Grant us a clear vision for our future, rooted in reality and full of the truth of your will for us. May it produce in us the passion that will motivate us to grow in love and knowledge of You, and to share the truth of your gospel with those around us. To the glory of your Name. Amen

2. 23rd September: “Should you choose to accept it, your mission is ....”

Ezekiel 3.16 -21;

Acts 10.17 -34;

Luke 4.14 -21

Mission is the series of steps that we need to take to bridge the gap between the present and our vision for the future.

We have a choice. And we also have a responsibility to those God wants to touch and transform through us. (Ezek. 3.16 -21)
Mission is doing things step by step Jesus didn't lay out the whole of his mission in one go. There's no mention of the cross at the outset of his ministry (Luke 4.14 -21), nor did Peter fully understand what his mission to Cornelius would entail. He found out step by step what he should do. (Acts 10.17 -34).
Mission may not be “conventional”. Peter had a few hang -ups to overcome on the way. We are not looking to be different just for its own sake but for the sake of those God wants to touch through us. Mission “is about telling people the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that affects them both personally and socially. ... It's a message that needs to be communicated through the things we do as well as verbally.” (Paul Hackwood).

For reflection and prayer:

Read the whole account of Peter's mission to Cornelius in Acts 10.1 -11.18.

	Notice how he didn't ignore the things that puzzled him
	Notice the taboos he had to overcome.
	Notice how he responded to the questions of others.
	Try to imagine how it might have felt for Peter and for Cornelius
	What would the consequences have been if Peter had said 'no' to this invitation to mission?

Heavenly Father, Who calls us all to be a part of your mission, give us courage to accept your invitation, give us confidence to allow you to take us a step at a time, give us boldness to work they way you want us to work, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

3. 14th October: When church really works, this is how it looks!

Isaiah 56.1 -8; Acts 2.42 -47; John 17.20 -26

Isaiah 56:1 -8 (NRSV) (A house of prayer for all nations, inclusive church.)

Acts 2:42 -47 (NRSV) (Luke shows us the effects of Pentecost by giving us a beautiful picture of the Spirit -filled church.)

It was a learning church - they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching. It was a loving church - they devoted themselves to the fellowship. It was a worshipping church - they devoted themselves to the breaking of bread. Their fellowship was expressed not only in caring for each other, but in corporate worship. It was an evangelistic church - it had an outreach to the world, 'and day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved'. The Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost and has never left his church. Our responsibility is to be ambassadors for Christ, and then our churches will again manifest those marks of the Spirit's presence - biblical teaching, loving fellowship, living worship, and an ongoing, outgoing evangelism.

John 17:20 -26 (NRSV) Jesus is praying for unity, based on and mirroring nothing less than the unity between the Father and the Son. Verse 26 reminds us that it is the love of the Father surrounding Jesus, and this same love is a bond and a badge surrounding all Jesus' people making him present to them and through them to the world. We are all called to make disciples of all nations beginning right here . We are to be known as a church that demonstrates God's love and care for his people. We are to be God's harvesters - workers for God's harvest to declare and demonstrate the Kingdom of God - to be the human face that shows God's love and compassion to the world.

Please continue to pray for God's vision for this Parish.

4. 21st October: Turning dreams into reality: can we really do it?

Turning dreams into reality: it may be daunting but God equips those he calls.

Genesis 3.8 -10; Philippians 4.1 -7; Luke 6.12 -16

God is in the business of changing lives … and he calls us to part of the process of enabling people to be more fully human, more fulfilled, more purposeful, more joyful, growing more like His Son, Jesus. The trouble is that we're only human - and like so many before us we all have a few hang ups.

	Moses stuttered.
	David's armour didn't fit.
	John Mark was rejected by Paul
	Timothy had ulcers
	Hosea's wife was a prostitute
	Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning
	Jonah ran from God
	Miriam was a gossip
	Gideon and Thomas both doubted
	Jeremiah was a depressive

(The list could go on and on . . . )

In Ezekiel we read of God sharing His work with us in a dramatic way.

“Can these dry bones live? You speak to these bones and I, God will make them live ...”

This is so crucial for us to hold onto: God is the Lord of the Harvest -he calls us to be labourers in the harvest - but He will provide the tools we’ll need . . .

The Spirit of God will be at work when we do our part. Dry bones can begin to live when we say “yes” to God.

For reflection and prayer: God doesn't call the equipped: instead he equips those whom he calls.

Father, pour out your Spirit upon us, grant us a new vision of your glory, a new experience of your power, a new faithfulness to your word, a new consecration to your service, that your love may grow among us, and your kingdom come: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.