I’ve found the prophecy of Daniel encouraging over the last few Sundays.

Starting as an exiled teenager in Babylon, in a culture where God had been air brushed out of the picture, he served with faithfulness and distinction into his old age.

In chapter 12, we see how God gave Daniel the wisdom to keep going:
12:1 Daniel expected ‘a time of distress’ and was not surprised when it came, when, for example, he was falsely accused and thrown into a den of lions.

12:1 he trusted that ‘God’s people would be delivered’.  He knew that the Lord could save him from the lions; but even if He didn’t, Daniel knew that the Lord would deliver him ultimately. 

It was his eternal hope that led him to:
12:2 fear God not people, because it is the Lord who ‘raised some to everlasting life, and who condemned others to shame and everlasting contempt. 

It was because of this, that:
12:3 he took these trials as opportunities to ‘lead many to righteousness.’ He spoke about the certain hope of everlasting life he had.

We may conclude that:
12:13 throughout his life he kept his eyes on the future, confident that ‘at the end of the days he would rise to receive his allotted inheritance.’

When we face the fiery trials of life, let’s pray for the wisdom to bear them as Daniel – with our eyes fixed on the future. The more we do, the more we’ll live this life with faithful distinction, as he did.
 
Every blessing in Christ,

Ian

90th Anniversary Celebration – September 10th
2-5pm
The poster is outside the church,
the choir has started rehearsing, 
the ‘taster sessions’ and live music acts are warming up,
the afternoon just needs…
YOU!

It’s back!
The 9am Service 
3rd September 
The Vestry

As part of the 90th Anniversary Celebration, Lynn& Ian are collecting photographs and memories of the Holy Redeemer and the Vale for a display and for … a film. 
Do you have photos of people, the area, or the church building that you could let us take a look at? We can scan in the photos and print them out,
so we don’t have to have the originals on display. 
Do you have a special memory that you’d like to share
and possibly have recorded? 

And a prayer that we can all be praying together: 

O God, the protector of all who trust in you,

without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy:

Increase and multiply upon us your mercy;

that, with you as our ruler and guide,

we may so pass through things temporal,

that we lose not the things eternal;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen