The Power of the Cross

Then [the other criminal] said, 

‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ 

Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’ 

(Luke 23:42,43)

At the prison choir practise this week we had a change from rehearsing the items for our next concert and sang a couple of Taize songs including "Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom".  The singing lacked feeling so I reminded the choir members where we read these words in scripture.  Silence fell as they listened attentively.  I pointed out the incredible faith that the dying criminal had.  He clearly believed who Jesus was and that his death would not be the end and that there was a glorious future.  There was wonderful hope, even at the point of his own death.

Then one of the members of the choir commented on the response of Jesus.  Not only 'you will be with me in paradise' but TODAY.  We can hardly imagine what that must mean.  But even more wonderful was the fact that this assurance was given to a man who was a self-confessed criminal meriting the death sentence.

The men who shared in these moments of quiet reflection were all serving life sentences.  We sang the words again, repeating them a few times, only this time with feeling.

We have also been practising 'All in the April evening' which focuses on Jesus as the Lamb of God - our sacrifice upon the cross.  Please pray for those choir members who are not yet Christians as they engage with these concepts.

Thank you for your prayers for our ministry this week.  After the prison ministry on Tuesday Doreen and I set off for Blackpool and the meeting of the Congregational Federation's Inter-Church Board.  It was a useful two days and concluded with meeting with local Christian leaders who had come to talk with us about local inter-church cooperation in mission.  It was good to hear of some of their existing initiatives.  We were then able to suggest other ways in which the good news can be shared.  Mission is the central purpose for ecumenical relationships.

On our way home we took some personal time to share a meal with one of Doreen's sisters before journeying on to pick up some papers and bid farewell to Terry Martin, one of my fellow trustees in Action for Christ.  Terry leaves the UK on Tuesday for his homeland in the USA. The complicated entanglements left behind after the years of theft and poor management are steadily becoming disentangled.  We have three issues for which we still need prayer in Action for Christ. These are

(a)  The need to find some additional trustees.

(b)  For an amicable settlement of a situation with a finance company.  The charity, having lost a large amount of money through theft cannot now afford the instalments on a multi-functional printer.  Sadly, at a time back in 2010 when the equipment could have been purchased outright for just over £6,000 the person acting as a kind of CEO took out financing with a gross cost of over £11,000.

(c) Action for Christ was set up to continue the ministry of Mission for Christ (the mission I joined as a young man and in which I worked for 25 years).  In 1979 a former trustee of Mission for Christ left a property to the Mission in his Will but in trust for the benefit of his daughter during her life time.  At the present time it is in trust separate from Mission for Christ and Action for Christ.  I was originally an executor and trustee under the will.  Both the current trustees have indicated they wish to retire from that position and we are in the process of appointing new trustees under the terms of the will.  I will become one of the new trustees.  This is a complex situation and we ask your prayers for wisdom.

From This Week's Diary

Sunday 28th - 10.45 Morning Meeting at Yelvertoft to be followed by the interment of ashes of Jim, one of our past members.  There will be a number of relatives, and perhaps some friends, attending the morning meeting.  I pray that God will guide my thoughts and words on this occasion.

Monday 29th - 9.00 - 5.00 Administration*.

7.00 Church Meeting at Yelvertoft.  A fresh look at our vision and mission.

Tuesday 30th - 1.30 to 3.30 HMP Gartree

Wednesday 1st - 9.00 to 5.00 Administration*

Thursday 2nd -  Bible Discussion Meeting at Yelvertoft (Hebrews 11). Pastoral visits.

Friday 3rd - Morning and afternoon - Training related to the Equalities Act 2010 and how it relates to chaplaincy ministry.

7.00 CF Area Committee meeting, Ashby de la Zouche.

Saturday 4th -  Attending a Gideons' Meeting in Birmingham.

Sunday 5th - Yelvertoft Congregational Church.

*Administration on Monday will include some work for Action for Christ, but the main work will be related to Sunrise Ministries and Rural Mission Solutions.

Please join us in praise and thanks to God for his guidance and blessing through the past weeks activities especially times of ministry.  Praise God also for the progress in resolving Action for Christ issues.

Please pray through the week for the various activities, and that everywhere I will be ready to give a reason for the hope within me.

Wherever you will be during the next seven days it will be the front line in mission, for that starts with who you are and where you are.  Shine brightly.

Barry