At the heart of Christianity is an account of failure.
Politicians failed, being swept along by a mob’s cancel culture.
Justice failed, money changed hands and the innocent paid the price.
Friends failed to keep their promises.
Light turned to darkness.
Jesus died.
Nothing changed…
On Monday we can have a picnic with another household in a park or a garden. So, if rain doesn’t stop us, who will we invite?
What if Jesus was already sitting there, would that influence who would get the invite?
We will think about why getting the invitation list right is crucial!
It’s been a long 12 months.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. The roll out of vaccinations has meant that we can hope that relaxing the restrictions we have lived under will come to an end soon, even if we will have to accept that face masks will continue to be uncomfortable fashion accessories…
Hospitality challenges us to look past our own judgemental attitudes and radically accept one another, to become a community that transforms those around us.
On Sunday we shared the news that we will be moving to St James, Eccles Old Road when we begin to meet again in person as a church.
Here’s some FAQs…
Church communities can be a haven for brittle, petty people. But they can also be beautiful signposts of the Kingdom of God.
What does it take to grow these beautiful places?
What can we do to make them a reality?
Throughout last year, we were encouraged to support the NHS. So children drew pictures to put in their windows, councils painted slogans on roads, we stood at doorsteps clapping week after week, we stayed away from the surgeries and A&E. And it was genuine – we were and are immensely grateful and proud of those who were in hospitals at a time when no one really knew how things would develop.
That’s why a 1% rise in pay became an issue last Wednesday.
Because it’s not enough to say that you are grateful, if your actions suggest something different…
Jesus’ gracious hospitality leads us to offer the same invitations to others.
As we start to recover from the effects of a global pandemic, our need for community is greater than ever.
We can look to the early church for some inspiration – the first Spirit-filled fellowship.
The government wants us all to be healthier by 2040. They’ve measured how healthy our personal lives are, how healthy the public areas in our towns and cities are and what we are doing to stay healthy.
I’ve got bad news: Salford isn’t doing too well…
Salford Elim Church St. James Hope 3 Vicarage Close Salford M6 8EJ
info@salfordelimchurch.org
07771 558 058
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Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance
Registered Charity 251549 (England & Wales) SC037754 (Scotland)
