Church’s Ministry of Healing -The Mount

Pat writes;

We are delighted that the Covid situation is such that Lockdown restrictions are being eased.

As we re–open the Friday service will be a Healing Service at 1.00pm in 162 .  The bimonthly Communion service on Tuesdays will commence.  At both the normal Covid restrictions of entry, mask wearing, space with open ventilation and social distancing will continue at 162.

I do hope you will be able to join us for these very important steps forward.

The diary dates can now re-commence and I draw your attention to that section of the web-site for full details.

May God continue to bless us and keep us….

Summer 2021

My Dear Friends

What does it feel like for you now that lockdown has been eased and we are gradually moving into a more usual regime?  I can not only sense the difference, but I hear it as I sit in my office at CMH, with the traffic surging along the dual carriageway.  Looking out, I see the lush uncut grass on the central reservation between carriageways, with a delightful array of wild flowers, gentle pink cuckoo flowers I used to pick as a child, and a host of golden dandelions, which I was often encouraged to pick before the seed heads blew a potential multiplication into the air.  It is there for all to see, the beauty all around us and many reasons to return praise to God for his goodness.

                Returning to public worship after lockdown is something we have waited eagerly for, so we set off in good time on Sunday morning travelling the shortest route to Inch Parish Church from home by Greystown Road, just off the Killyleagh Road.  This is a route I don’t often take because it is  a single track road and negotiating a safe passage needs all your concentration.  It is a frequent passage for dog walkers and young horse riders, both of which need to be given lots of space.  However, Sunday was a beautiful day, with bright sunshine and blue skies, so, being early for church I had all the time in the world to admire the scenery, and I chose this little road.  Everything was going well until I rounded a corner to find myself right behind a most handsome male pheasant all puffed up and displaying his colourful plumage to a little insignificant female pheasant further up the road.  Time disappeared as I moved the car slowly forward so as not to disturb his agenda, but we still made it into the third row in church, among the early birds!  In the stillness I remembered a saying often heard at home: ‘Two men looked out from prison bars: one saw mud; the other saw stars’.  This quote, which is quite appropriate for our situation, has been attributed to many people, but it points to the fact that we should stop worrying and start living life as God intended, while returning praise and glory to Him for the privilege of living in a world with such beauty. 

                We have been fortunate to have been able to keep 162 open from the end of June 2020 through lockdown to facilitate one-to-one counselling and prayer.  This has been a fulfilling privilege, and we have been able within the past few weeks to extend our opening to include the Tuesday Holy Communion Services, Prayers for Israel and the Nations, and our Friday Healing Services.  The Book Club will restart on 6th May.  The Diary Dates are at the end of this letter.  We hope to be back at St Anne’s later in the month and, depending on the situation, be free for other activities in house and farther afield. 

                The progress to a fuller ministry has to be slow and steady.  We wish to keep everyone safe, so like the handsome pheasant, we must have patience to gain the fullest reward.

                May God keep you safe and lead you steadily onward as you seek His glory.

Your sister in Christ

Pat

Church’s Ministry of Healing-  The Mount

Hour of Prayer For Our Ministry – 16th September 2021

“But the fruit of the Spirit is …gentleness … .

(Galatians 5:22-23)

Our theme this week, expressed above as ‘gentleness’ is probably more familiar to us in the form, “meekness”.  We find it in the Beatitudes where, drawing upon psalm 37:11, Jesus declares “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

At another key moment in his ministry the Lord issues that most gracious invitation “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).  The appeal of Jesus is the appeal of the “gentle” one.

In the ordinary economy of life it is the assertive people who get ahead, not the gentle and humble.  The freedom which the world stridently demands is about ‘breaking the yoke’, not by accepting one.  The yoke is popular culture’s image of oppression, never to be countenanced much less accepted.  You do not get on in today’s world by being “meek and mild”; to be so described spells the end of one’s prospects.

The life to which we are called, the one that is inspired by the Holy Spirit, is counter-cultural and counter-intuitive.  God does not work the way that “Rich young rulers” expect; we thought about that a couple of weeks ago.  God calls upon us to live by the Holy Spirit and to keep in step with him.  That involves us in growing in the graces of the Lord Jesus, who sent him to us.

Our identity in Christ consists in taking up our personal cross.  We find our peace and freedom in the image of a yoke and the essence of our life in the image of humiliating death.  The yoke and the cross are troubling and forbidding to the person of the world, yet we have been simultaneously forewarned and assured by the one who has called us, “I have said these things that you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

We pray to find our peace and our inheritance in Christ within an attitude of gentleness, an attitude of meekness.  That is not what the world offers but we commit to serve those who desire the peace which the world cannot give to them.  We reach out to those in our prayer and ministry whom the world’s “broken cisterns” have failed.  We pray today for the power of God’s Holy Spirit upon us, that we might continue so to do.

David (M)

Hour of Prayer for our Ministry 

This is an explanation to assist those praying friends, who have not taken part in our conversation to date.

In the secular community people face uncertain and challenging situations every day.  Every legitimate occupation in our society exists to meet human need, including the needs we have not anticipated.  People and organisations find their way forward by their wits and through their own resources.  Some problems prove too great for individuals and single enterprises so it becomes necessary to seek help where it may be found.  There is an ever present risk that some such might deliver less than what is hoped for; the original problem may become greater still.

When the Board of CMH met to continue its conversation about our future, we decided to take a course that might appear radical to some.  We decided to suspend all discussion and, until our next Board meeting at least. we would pray for one hour individually from 7am every Thursday.  In our prayer time we would be still and would listen.  Words from Psalm 46:10 and Philippians 4:6&7 came to mind.

So here we are today, praying on.  When, after several weeks, the process was firmly established amongst the Board members we felt able to invite others to join our hour of prayer, and here you are with us.  You are welcome and we hope you will be blessed and be a blessing to all as we grow closer to God through silence and by listening in prayer.

David Matchett prepares weekly notes to focus and co-ordinate or prayer and if you would like to receive these by email , contact Rab at legal@mollan.net 

REFLECTIONS

Konik Ponies

At the bottom of our garden lane there is a small rough paddock, home to two male Konik ponies.  They are separated from six female Koniks who mostly live on the adjacent Hare Island, which is connected to the lane through the Rivers Agency site on the shore.  I said mostly because the Environmental Heritage staff, the keepers of these unusual feral ponies, move them as required.  These wonderful dun coloured ponies have a distinctive dark black/brown mane and dorsal stripe.  They can exist on very rough land and are good for managing wet lands, which makes them desirable short term residents.  So they get invitations to clean up various areas.  The fact that they can live on rough ground doesn’t mean that this is their desire.  We do know that far off fields are greener; the two males ate through the old wooden fence round their paddock and were seen rolling in ecstasy on the lush green grass of the neighbouring fields.

Perhaps, at this time of restrictions due to the Corona virus, we too want to escape to a green luscious space, an area where we will feel free and unrestrained?  

…be content with what you have, because God has said:

‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’

So we say with confidence. ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid,  What can man do to me?’

(Hebrews 13:5,6)

The Buzzard

Nearly home one January afternoon, while the light was still bright, I slowed down turning into the laneway leading to home.  Not only did the car slow, but I could feel the peace of the place surround me as I surveyed the peaceful scene of the Quoile River as it flowed into Strangford Lough.  Ahead the green of the islands and protected quietness abridged my strained thoughts, and there on a pole, a buzzard, surveying the land just as I had done.  I stopped to observe, and realised that I’d been noticed, but dismissed as uninteresting, while the surrounding fields were carefully scanned for prey: a vole, rabbit, mouse or even a crow would have been acceptable.  Happy for them, none were seen and the buzzard lifted into the air and rose to circle overhead.

Oh that I would have the concentration of that beautiful bird, but then her life and offspring depended on it.  The thought struck me:  my life depends on God.  Do I seek Him as diligently as the buzzard seeks her food?  Do I watch for Him; wait for Him; observe and know His ways?

If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the Lord who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.  (Psalm 91:9,10)

The Egret

Pat writes;

Adjacent to our home is a small lagoon which was created when a causeway was established to create an entrance to our home.   It is connected to Strangford Lough by a large pipe under the causeway, and this allows the tide to rise and fall in the lagoon.  To our surprise and delight a white heron-like bird appeared in the lagoon at low tide one day.  It was smaller and certainly more timid than the grey herons which are common on the shore. 

When approached, it would take to flight and tuck its long legs underneath displaying vivid yellow feet.  It was a Little Egret.  Each day, having adopted the lagoon as a source of food, it would rummage the shallows for small fish, crustaceans and worms and then retreat to the branch of a nearby tree when the tide came in.  For a long time he was solitary, disappearing for a while, then reappearing with a friend.  Now, I wait eagerly to count and welcome their annual family of three to six offspring   

I often wondered just how he encouraged her to come initially, maybe it was the tranquillity, the beauty, a source of nice food, or his innate charm.  I would imagine the romantic scene and the invitation… ‘Come and see my lagoon’. 

Then, my musing would transpose to higher thought……

Will You Come And Follow Me
If I But Call Your Name?
Will You Go Where You Don’t Know
And Never Be The Same?
Will You Let My Love Be Shown,
Will You Let My Name Be Known,
Will You Let My Life Be Grown
In You And You In Me?-

 2nd