Blogger Benefits
Good to see Matt in town yesterday, after he'd been to worship at the apple temple...look at the photos if you don't believe me. It was good to see him after reading his blog in the morning and realising he was going to be in town...a blogger benefit.
I'm sure you're following the stories, pictures and blogs of people caught up in the Tsunami. Our friend Emma is doing well in Phuket, helping with the relief effort here is an extract from a recent email:-
We now know that re-building a primary school will be the main focus of our efforts here. Please pray that God brings the right people here over the next few weeks to get construction under way. There is a large Thai labour force, but we will need skilled builders, joiners, electricians, plumbers, etc to direct operations.
We are planning a party for about 1000 school children at the site of the school on Friday morning. We are trying to get t-shirts for the children printed with the church logo. The press will no doubt cover the event and if lots of children wearing the logo are seen on UK TV, people may be encouraged to donate directly to the church disaster fund. Please pray that the kids have a great time and are blessed by us being there, and that the money comes pouring in!
Check out Emma's website for photos and message board, and ways of contacting the church if you want to give directly.
I think some of the best comments I've read about the faith response to the Tsunami so far were from Jonathan Sacks, the chief Rabbi he wrote in the Times on Saturday:-
The religious question is, therefore, not: “Why did this happen?” But “What then shall we do?” That is why, in synagogues, churches, mosques and temples throughout the world this weekend, along with our prayers for the injured and the bereaved, we will be asking people to donate money to assist the work of relief. The religious response is not to seek to understand, thereby to accept. We are not God. Instead we are the people He has called on us to be his “ partners in the work of creation”. The only adequate religious response is to say: “God, I do not know why this terrifying disaster has happened, but I do know what You want of us: to help the afflicted, comfort the bereaved, send healing to the injured, and aid those who have lost their livelihoods and homes.” We cannot understand God, but we can strive to imitate His love and care.
Let's keep striving...
Good to see Matt in town yesterday, after he'd been to worship at the apple temple...look at the photos if you don't believe me. It was good to see him after reading his blog in the morning and realising he was going to be in town...a blogger benefit.
I'm sure you're following the stories, pictures and blogs of people caught up in the Tsunami. Our friend Emma is doing well in Phuket, helping with the relief effort here is an extract from a recent email:-
We now know that re-building a primary school will be the main focus of our efforts here. Please pray that God brings the right people here over the next few weeks to get construction under way. There is a large Thai labour force, but we will need skilled builders, joiners, electricians, plumbers, etc to direct operations.
We are planning a party for about 1000 school children at the site of the school on Friday morning. We are trying to get t-shirts for the children printed with the church logo. The press will no doubt cover the event and if lots of children wearing the logo are seen on UK TV, people may be encouraged to donate directly to the church disaster fund. Please pray that the kids have a great time and are blessed by us being there, and that the money comes pouring in!
Check out Emma's website for photos and message board, and ways of contacting the church if you want to give directly.
I think some of the best comments I've read about the faith response to the Tsunami so far were from Jonathan Sacks, the chief Rabbi he wrote in the Times on Saturday:-
The religious question is, therefore, not: “Why did this happen?” But “What then shall we do?” That is why, in synagogues, churches, mosques and temples throughout the world this weekend, along with our prayers for the injured and the bereaved, we will be asking people to donate money to assist the work of relief. The religious response is not to seek to understand, thereby to accept. We are not God. Instead we are the people He has called on us to be his “ partners in the work of creation”. The only adequate religious response is to say: “God, I do not know why this terrifying disaster has happened, but I do know what You want of us: to help the afflicted, comfort the bereaved, send healing to the injured, and aid those who have lost their livelihoods and homes.” We cannot understand God, but we can strive to imitate His love and care.
Let's keep striving...
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home