Missions Tea Party – 17th September 2011

The Missions Tea Party is taking place in the church gardens on Saturday, 17 September 2011 from 3-5pm. Please come and support this event to raise funds for our mission partners. It’s arranged as a traditional English afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches, scones, cakes and lots of cups of tea.

Please help us to publicise the Tea Party with any friends, colleagues or neighbours. If you need to, download a copy of the flyer and pass it on to anyone else you know who might be interested, or pin it up on any suitable notice boards.

If you would like to contribute self-made English specialties/cakes for selling or to offer a helping hand please contact Tim Morgan at missions[at]christchurchanglican.de Thanks.

Only 2 ways

There are according to Jesus only 2 ways, hard and easy (there is no middle way), entered by two gates, broad and narrow (there is no other gate) trodden by two crowds, large and small (there is no neutral group), ending in two destinations, destruction and life (there is no third alternative). It is hardly necessary to comment that such talk is extremely unfashionable today. People like to be uncommitted. Every opinion poll allows not only for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, but for a convenient ‘don’t know’. Men are lovers of Aristotle and of his golden mean. The most popular path is the *via media*. To deviate from the middle way is to risk being dubbed an ‘extremist’ or a ‘fanatic’. Everybody resents being faced with the necessity of a choice. But Jesus will not allow us to escape it!

From the ‘Message of the Sermon on the Mount’ (The Bible Speaks Today Series: Leicester and Downers Grove: IVP, 1978), p. 196. Excerpted from ‘Authentic Christianity’ by John Stott, p. 192, by permission of IVP.

Shared lunch – 4th September 2011

There will be a shared lunch on 4th September – please bring something to share. Quiche, cold cooked meats, cheese, salads or a dessert would be very welcome. Bread & drinks will be provided.

Please contact Wendy for more details on lunch[at]christchurchanglican.de or tel: 0211 418 4119.

Hope you will be able to come.

Best wishes
Wendy

The art of encouragement

Hearty thanks to our guest preacher Chris Spencer who taught us today of the necessity of encouraging each other daily and how to find the right balance in doing so by reflecting the triangle 'up – in – out'. If you like to find out more listen to his talk here or download it for listening while cooking, commuting or else.

Chris is one of the leaders of St George’s in Deal, Kent, UK.

The Reformation by Andrew Atherstone

The sixteenth century was marked by violent conflicts, terrible persecutions and fierce theological battles. In his book “The Reformation: Faith & Flames”, Andrew Atherstone leads the reader through the dramatic time of the Reformation. He begins by setting forth the historical setting of the Renaissance and the humanist philosophy of going “back to the sources”, which led intellectuals all over Europe to study the Bible in its original languages. Among these, some came to the conclusion that the Church of their time erred and had departed from the Gospel. Soon a movement calling for reform was born. Atherstone gives an overview of the Reformation in various European countries, introducing its key figures, explaining the political backgrounds and making the reader familiar with the different wings of Protestantism. In doing so he keeps the book well balanced: it is both informative as well as vivid, it describes the historic-political conflicts without neglecting the underlying theological positions and, while being simple to understand, it is not simplistic. The richly illustrated book makes history come alive and is highly recommended for anyone who wants to know more about the era that changed the church and the world up to the present day.

The Reformation: Faith and Flames. Andrew Atherstone. Oxford: LionHudson, 2011. 192 pp. Around 21 €

Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller

People worshiping and bowing down before images may be the first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they hear the word “idolatry”. But Timothy Keller demonstrates convincingly that the Bible’s view is far more comprehensive: every good gift of God can be turned into a “counterfeit god” by being set up above God, thus becoming more important than God himself. He takes a close look at today’s most popular idols which have captivated western society: romantic love, money, success and power. An additional chapter deals with hidden idols. For each of these the disastrous consequences of dedicating one’s life to them are vividly exhibited, and the way to overcome them is shown. Keller does so by drawing from current events, his personal pastoral experience and familiar Bible stories, thereby making the book easy to understand, current and biblically grounded. It concludes with valuable suggestions on how to find and replace idols in one’s own life. “Counterfeit Gods” is a helpful and easy to read book for those who want to grow in their Christian faith!

Counterfeit Gods: When the Empty Promises of Love, Money and Power Let You Down.
Timothy Keller. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2010. 240 pp. Around 11 €