Activities | Nurture

November 2019 magazine

stjohnstmarkchurchburySaturday, October 26, 2019

Please follow this link to find our November 2019 magazine, which is our Remembrance edition:

Paper versions are available if you’re able to get to church!

We have write-ups from our various groups and all the upcoming activities to tell you about. Coventry Cathedral’s work on peace and reconciliation crops up too. So, please have a read.

Plus there’s this letter from Reader Emeritus (and zip-wire expert) Barbara Silvester…

Be assured!

As some of you might know Nigel and I were caught up in the ‘Rescue mission’ for Thomas Cook passengers. When we got home and settled we dug out the insurance policies for the holiday to check if we could claim for things we didn’t get that we had paid for.

It struck me then that many people see being a Christian and going to church as some kind of an insurance policy against the pitfalls of life. That if you follow the ‘rules’ you’ll be alright, nothing bad will befall you and when you die you’ll go to heaven and everything will be alright. Something you can call upon in an emergency; the fourth emergency service. However an insurance policy is all about ‘if’s’ and ‘buts’ if this happens you’re ok but if you’ve done that you’re not – loads of exclusions and small print.

A promise to be there for us

However, for Christians it’s more an assurance policy we have. Jesus is there for me/us all the time. I’m assured of his love and care every minute of every day come what may. It’s all about certainty, confidence and a promise to be there for us till the end of time, not just an emergency measure which insurance tends to be. It’s an overwhelming love that has come through at some of life’s deepest and darkest moments totally unconditionally; no if’s or but’s.

Peter in Acts 2 assures the crowds that Jesus was indeed the Christ, the one who had redeemed humankind. He paid the price of the policy for ALL of those who listen to him and follow in his way that we might benefit in life and death. The ultimate assurance policy!

To quote the hymn:                                                                        

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine:   

O what a foretaste of glory divine! 

Heir of salvation, purchase of God;

born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

November is traditionally a time of remembrance. It starts with the saints that have gone before us, continues with a remembrance of political and religious upheaval (Guy Fawkes) and then the horrors of warfare. In all this Jesus assures us week in week out in the breaking of bread and drinking of wine of his sacrifice for us and the assurance of love that he has for us. It’s not an insurance policy but a pre-paid assurance policy.   

Blessings in Jesus name, Barbara        

[For last month’s magazine please press here]