St Mark's Church - Colchester

Psalm 130 expectantly waiting for forgiveness

The pilgrims sang these songs to prepare their hearts as they travelled to the great festivals. Let us prepare our hearts as we remember the coming of Jesus, who brought God’s forgiveness and redemption to our world.

Might God save us

Mighty God, see your people’s pain.  The walls are cracked and broken, and your people turn away. Send us a Shepherd, Lord! Send us a Son from your right hand. Our broken world still cries, “Save us in your love”.

Rememberance

Wars cease, breaks the bow, burns the chariot – be still and know.
What does it mean to be still and know?

Every where

The church often says ‘come’, but Jesus tells us to ‘go’. You’re healed… go. The one who showed him mercy… go. The great commission… go.  Go, and preach the good news to all creation. Gathering as church to worship God and encourage each other is good, but in our gathering, we must encourage each other to scatter – we are ALL sent, every one of us is told to go.
 

Every Ministry

What does it take for a church to function? Finance team, governance, admin, vision, pastoral visiting - every behind the scenes aspect as well as the up the front stuff that is visible. Preaching at and leading the Sunday gathering are not the only ministries – administration is a biblical ministry.

Every member ministry

Every one of us has God-given spiritual gifts as well as our talents, knowledge and skills - He has intentionally chosen and gifted you for a fulfilling adventure with him – but we are responsible for using, advancing and investing what he has given us. Stewarding our talents well is really important, and that means recognising what we have been given (rather than what is missing), rejoicing in it and putting it to work.
 

Every disciple - feeding others, discipling others

Think of the great commission as Jesus speaking to those he had discipled (eating together… walking together… he taught, affirmed and corrected them before sending them out and asking how it went – he grew them) and saying to them “Now go and have the type of relationship I’ve had with you, with other people”.
 
 

EVERY DISCIPLE (feeding yourself)

Every Christian is a disciple of Jesus. A disciple is a learner, someone who is intentionally investing in their relationship with God – and that investment is heart, soul and mind - prayer, reading scripture and spending time with God are simple ways we can grow daily as followers of Jesus.
 

EVERY-BODY (each one of you is a part of it)

Each one of us is part of the body of Christ, and without our part, the body is lacking. Recapping barriers that exclude like a volunteer-paid divide, sacred-secular divide or a clergy-lay divide and connecting with the idea that we wouldn’t buy a pie and throw 97% of it away.

His Presence - Waiting; alert and aware of God’s presence

Jesus teaches us how and where to wait. He invites us to be present to the One who is always already present. He also invites us to listen for the knock, to watch, and to be alert. This is the God who is present in the ordinary circumstances of our lives, even in our waiting.