Dear Friends

Who said the following ………………… “Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves `Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous ?`Actually who are you not to be ?

You are a child of God: your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone, and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

As we emerge from the Easter season, I am so conscious that this is the truth of Easter. God loves us so much that he has sent His son Jesus Christ into the world, as a small baby, to grow, to reach out and ultimately to die on the cross so that we may begin to understand the very lengths that He will go to in order for his love to be shown.

The Psalmist writes (Psalm 8) “What is man, mere man that you have made him a little lower than the angels ?” (abbreviated)

We are special to God, simply because He has created each one of us.

So at this time especially, I want to encourage each one of us to hold our heads up high, grasp the truth of Gods love in our lives, walk proudly and be ready to declare “I am a child of the Most High God.”

What will then happen ? As the above quote reminds us our liberation will be the liberation of others. If we are sure of our own place within Gods love so it becomes easier to tell others of their place within that same love, and so the world is transformed.

Dear friends, my prayer is that you will be reminded anew that there is a God who truly loves you enough to die on the cross for you.

God bless you.

Mike Redshaw

P.S. the author of the above quote if you don't already know is Nelson Mandela, who truly realised the value of every human being including those who imprisoned him.

Mike Redshaw

www.revmike.co.uk

"To know Christ and to make Christ known"

Dear Friends

Welcome to February !!

I always think of this time of year as something rather strange, the weather is poor (sometimes mild, sometimes wet, and sometimes horrible), the mornings are dark, no Christmas to look forward to, summer holidays are still a long way off. February is a strange month and many of us say “Thank goodness it’s a short one !”

However, it is a month of romanticism; Valentines Day and this year that extra day because it’s a leap year when ladies can traditionally ask men to marry them.

How do we as Christians hold all that together ?

Without love this world is really a meaningless, dreary place. The old phrase “love makes the world go round” is so true, because we all rely on the love of our friends, families, neighbours, etc. to `gee` us up when we’re down. In Codnor there is a wonderful newsagent, where the staff always have a kind, friendly word. Whenever I go in they always have something to say about my waistcoat or the way I’m dressed; I always leave feeling better for having been to visit. The dreariness of the weather or the mood I may be in is lifted by their kindness. That may not be love as in romance but I do believe that the desire to be friendly, warm, welcoming is an expression of love for someone else.

And we’re all capable of showing that love and so lift the gloom in someone else’s life.

Scripture tells us in many places that love is so important; we’ve just come out of Christmas when we’re reminded of the love of God in the Christ child, and we’re about to enter Lent leading to Easter when we’re reminded of that same love which took Christ to the cross for us. Gods love shown powerfully for us and he asks us to show similar love for him and for those around us in the way we live our lives. That famous passage from 1 Corinthians chapter 13 about love always ends with these words, “Faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love”.

Happy February and may it be a month when the love of friends, families, neighbours is shown in our lives and throughout our area.

Mike Redshaw

www.revmike.co.uk

"To know Christ and to make Christ known"

Mike Redshaw

www.revmike.co.uk

"To know Christ and to make Christ known"

Dear Friends

Doesn’t time fly ??  Here we are almost at Christmas with the New Year following shortly behind. Many of us are looking behind and remembering the year we are shortly to leave.

What’s 2007 been like for you ?  Regularly I hear people saying things like “I’ll be glad to see the back of this year !!” Maybe you are one of those people. We recognise that there is always going to be difficulty, problems and issues which will cause hurt and heartache. So often we remember those bad times and grumble about them and yet for most of us there is at least an equal measure of good times. December comes to us with an opportunity tot take stock of the past year.

Remember the times of laughter, of joy; times spent with families, especially children; times when someone has held your hand or offered words of encouragement; moments of sheer delight in the created world around us, the beauty of a sunset, the refreshing rain and the warmth of the sun. Too often we fail to give thanks for these times and to remember them with joy.

With the onset of 2008 fast approaching, we need to develop a habit of thanksgiving. However we still remember the difficulties, so what does this time of year have to say to us about them ?

The Christmas story is one of God coming to us in our time of need. Just as Humankind needed a guide, so God came to us as a little child who would grow to be a man, who would die on the cross and who would rise to life again. Christmas reminds us that in times of difficulty Gods love is often at its most strongest. The word that Christians use at this time of year is “incarnation”. The birth of Jesus is referred to as the incarnation, and the love of God is incarnational; that is to say that his love became flesh and took on human appearance. Why ? Because it was the greatest thing that God could do for us, and that is worth giving thanks for.

This Christmas why not choose to remember it in  a different way ?  Come to Church!

There is a mixture of services in each of our local churches, ranging from the traditional midnight communion at St. James to the different café worship at Waingroves  on New Years Eve. At Codnor Methodists there is the traditional carol service and in the village there is the annual carol singing in the market place. There is ample opportunity to come together and give thanks for the blessings we all receive not only at this time but throughout the year.

Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Mike Redshaw

www.revmike.co.uk

"To know Christ and to make Christ known"

Dear Friends

Doesn’t time fly ??  Here we are almost at Christmas with the New Year following shortly behind. Many of us are looking behind and remembering the year we are shortly to leave.

What’s 2007 been like for you ?  Regularly I hear people saying things like “I’ll be glad to see the back of this year !!” Maybe you are one of those people. We recognise that there is always going to be difficulty, problems and issues which will cause hurt and heartache. So often we remember those bad times and grumble about them and yet for most of us there is at least an equal measure of good times. December comes to us with an opportunity tot take stock of the past year

Remember the times of laughter, of joy; times spent with families, especially children; times when someone has held your hand or offered words of encouragement; moments of sheer delight in the created world around us, the beauty of a sunset, the refreshing rain and the warmth of the sun. Too often we fail to give thanks for these times and to remember them with joy.

With the onset of 2008 fast approaching, we need to develop a habit of thanksgiving. However we still remember the difficulties, so what does this time of year have to say to us about them ?

The Christmas story is one of God coming to us in our time of need. Just as Humankind needed a guide, so God came to us as a little child who would grow to be a man, who would die on the cross and who would rise to life again. Christmas reminds us that in times of difficulty Gods love is often at its most strongest. The word that Christians use at this time of year is “incarnation”. The birth of Jesus is referred to as the incarnation, and the love of God is incarnational; that is to say that his love became flesh and took on human appearance. Why ? Because it was the greatest thing that God could do for us, and that is worth giving thanks for.

This Christmas why not choose to remember it in  a different way ?  Come to Church!

There is a mixture of services in each of our local churches, ranging from the traditional midnight communion at St. James to the different café worship at Waingroves  on New Years Eve. At Codnor Methodists there is the traditional carol service and in the village there is the annual carol singing in the market place. There is ample opportunity to come together and give thanks for the blessings we all receive not only at this time but throughout the year.

Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Mike Redshaw

www.revmike.co.uk

"To know Christ and to make Christ known"

Dear Friends

Four weeks in and it feels as though the sabbatical was years ago !!

What have I learned from it ?

Well, the two Bible passages that keep coming to mind are Acts 10 and Acts 21:17-26 and this is because both passages speak of taking the Gospel to those beyond the Church.

On each of my sports visits and on other visits such as to the Christian nightclub in Cardiff I came across people whose desire was to show the love of Jesus to people who might otherwise never come into an arena which had a Christian ethos.

The Acts 21 passage especially shows how the church in Jerusalem missed the point of reaching out to the Gentiles; they were happy for Paul to have such a mission as long as the Gentiles did things the Jewish way, with their rituals and observances.

In many Churches today I find an attitude of we`re not changing; `they` (whoever `they` are) must do things `our` way. We often fall into the same trap of the early Jerusalem church.

If anything the last three months have reminded me that God still works in amazing and powerful ways and it is our responsibility to see where he is working and follow him. Perhaps it will take us out of our comfort zones, but if it is of God then we can be sure he will lead us forward.

At the recent Circuit meeting I announced Hope 08 which is an ecumenical initiative to encourage all Churches to engage with their communities and have activities that will bless the community and take the love of Jesus out of our Church walls. Activities such as street barbeques, street litter cleaning, childrens clubs, pensioners holiday clubs, lunches, free gifts are just a few of the ideas that come to my mind. What comes to yours ? How can we bring Jesus into our communities is the question I will be posing at Church Councils in the coming weeks (or in some cases over the last few weeks).

I pray that we may have the courage to go to the people, see Jesus in them, and rejoice with them.

Its good to be back.

Consequently I intend to do a mixture of things while I am away. I intend to find time to spend with Alison, who I don't see much of these days, and in the course of this we will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary with a cruise down the Rhine. I will also spend much more time walking the dog and generally relaxing.
 
As part of my learning programme I intend to study sports chaplaincy. I have therefore arranged to visit a variety of football, rugby and horse racing chaplains to see how they relate Church to their particular sporting arenas. Of course, I've managed to arrange a visit to see the Newcastle United Chaplain (what else would you expect?)
 
My other area of study will be to continue my Fresh Expressions course "Mission Shaped Ministry" which I began earlier this year, and which I am finding extremely challenging to my thinking.
 
While I am absent Lesley will be holding the fort in the circuit office and under the leadership of Sue Smith and Maurice Johnson will ensure that the day to day running of the circuit continues. Rev. John Peters (Watchorn Circuit, Alfreton) will become the circuit superintendent for the duration of my time away, should a minister be needed. As with all sabbaticals I am under strict instructions not to get involved in any circuit work at all and so the easiest way of doing this is to opt out of any circuit contacts. Please don't be offended by this but regard it as a gift you are giving to me, the opportunity to `switch off`. If anyone wants to follow my sabbatical I will be doing a daily/weekly log on the Internet but cannot give the address as yet. Look for the posters or the link on my website. 
 
And so I'll return to you all in September, refreshed, refocused and raring to go once again. I hope you all have a good summer and behave yourselves while I'm gone!!

Mike,s Blog: http://ripley-info.co.uk/revmike/

Dear Friends

My family and I have just got beck from a wonderful week at the Spring Harvest, held annually at Skegness.

Butlins at Skegness in April is quite an experience as the wind can truly blow across the site, but we were tremendously warmed by the quality of the Bible teaching, the exuberance of the worship (from youngsters to pensioners), and the sense of Gods presence amongst us.

I’m very much reminded of how the disciples must have felt at that morning by the lakeside as Jesus greeted them with a cooked breakfast (John 21:12~13)

There must have been a real sense of being in the presence of God himself, as they reflected on all that had happened; the final supper, the prediction of Jesus, his death and then the perplexing mystery of his resurrection. I often feel that there must have been a sense of security in that moment; after all everything that Jesus had said about himself had come true and here they were in his presence.

Whenever we go to Spring Harvest, as we have done for over 13 years now, we always get a sense of wrapping ourselves in a secure warm blanket; its comforting to be back amongst familiar things. Thats how the disciples must have felt that morning on the lakeside. everything was back as it should be and it must have felt so right for them.

However things can never stay the same. The mountain top experiences have to give way to the day to day walk in the valley and just as we had to return home from the "sunny" climes of Skegness, so the disciples learnt that they had to walk each day without the earthly presence of Jesus.

You and I will experience in life some of those special times when Jesus feels so close to us that we can touch him; such times will be special, uplifting and comforting. However we also face times in life when Jesus seems far away. These are the times of faith; times when we have to keep going and take our security from the final promise of Jesus who said "......I will be with you always to the close of the age." (Matthew ch28).

As we move away from Easter let us walk in that faith which says that even when Jesus can't be seen or felt then his love for us is as strong as ever.

Mike

FROM THE 24/7 PRAYER ROOM! During the week of the Ripley 24/7 prayer initiative the book "What they didn't teach me in Sunday School" by Rob Parsons seemed to have a powerful impact on many people. It is possible to buy it through Amazon via the Ripley website. click on link picture

 

Dear friends

As we enter this Lenten period we prepare ourselves for Easter; at Codnor Chapel we will decorate our Lenten cross each week to remind ourselves of the Easter story, the passion of Jesus.

 This lies at the heart of the Christian faith and without it the Christian church would not exist at all. This was the final stage of God's plan to save people from ultimate destruction, when he sent His only Son Jesus to die on a cross and then three days later to rise again for us. It is the event which means that we are not simply a movement but a living faith because we have a living Saviour who has won for us on the cross a way back to God from the separation that human sin, our sin, has caused.

There is a sketch I enjoy doing called "The Comfortable Cross" which highlights how people try to avoid the more difficult elements of the cross because all they see is the pain and suffering. However Max Lucardo tells the following story..................                        

I INVITE YOU INTO MY PRESENCE (adapted from Max Lucardo's book - "He chose the nails")

There I was standing in front of Buckingham Palace
Standing there on the pavement peering through the railings, across the parade ground at the palace of the Queen.
There I was in fine form - my hair done specially, my best outfit on, even my shoes shined up for the occasion. And then I turned towards the entrance - my pace brisk, my stride sure, a jaunty aspect about my step. Quite right too for I had come to meet the Queen!!
You see I had a few matters I wanted to discuss with her.

First there was the matter of the enormous road sign they had just erected outside my house. It totally ruined the view. Couldn't she give orders to have it moved for me?
Then there was the issue of world peace. I am in favour of it so couldn't she use her influence to get it going. After all she knows the right people!
And lastly , university tuition fees - could she give Tony Blair a ring and ask him to lighten up on them particularly at my nephew's university?

All worthy issues - correct? Wouldn't take more than a few minutes. Beside I brought her some of my grannies home made biscuits that she could share with the Royal consort and the royal Corgies. So with bag in hand and a smile on my face I stepped up to the gate and announced to the guard
"I'd like to see the Queen please."
He asked for my name which I gave and he looked on his list, and then said
"There is have no record of your appointment"
"Oh - You have to have an appointment?" I said
"Yes"
"Well how do I get one"
"Through her majesty's private secretary's office"
"Oh right. Could you give me their phone number."
"No its restricted"
"Then how can I get in?"
"It's better to wait 'til they call you
"But they don't know me!"
The guard shrugged "Then they probably won't call"

And so I sighed and turned away and began my journey home. My questions unanswered, my needs unmet.

And I was so close!!
Had the Queen just stepped out onto her balcony I would have waved and I'm sure she'd have waved back. I was only yards from her front door… but it might as well have been a thousand miles. We two, the Queen and I were separated by some railings and a sentry.
But then there was also the problem of the secret police officers. Had I somehow managed to slip in they would have stopped me; and then there was the staff - they'd have done the same . There were just too many barriers.

And there were invisible barriers too. Barriers of time (the Queen was too busy). Barriers of status (I'm just not important enough and barriers of protocol (You have to go through the proper channels)

So I left the Palace. I did not have access to the Queen. My chat with the Queen just wasn't going to happen. I'd have to take my problems about world peace and the road sign and the tuition fees away with me.

But suppose she were to take the initiative. Suppose she spotted me out there on the pavement and took pity on me and said to her Private secretary
"See that person with the bag of biscuits - go and tell her I'd like to talk to her a minute."

If she gave such a command then everything would be different.
The private secretary's office would call the head of palace security. The head of security would call the guard and the guard would call my name out and say
"Guess what - I can't explain it but the door to the Queen's presence is wide open for you."

Now I'd stop and turn and straighten my shoulders and enter the same door where only moments earlier I was denied access.

The guard is the same. The gates are the same. The security personnel are the same. BUT the situation is not the same.
Now I can go where I could not go. The door is open, my name has been called and I can go in.

And what's more I am not the same either. I feel special - chosen. WHY? Because the one who wears the crown, the sovereign saw me down there and made it possible, wanted me, to come right in.

That's what Jesus was doing on the cross -he was winning for us a way into where we have no right to be without his cross - heaven itself and the presence of God.

And that's something to celebrate.

Happy Easter

Dear Friends 

, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand ! Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

This year when we face obstacles, will we be able to turn them into opportunities ?

I believe that when this world began to turn away from God, He could have left us to stew in our own sinfulness but instead God saw the opportunity to show His love for each one of us. He stepped out of the glory of Heaven, as Jesus Christ, became a man and lived among us, before being crucified and rising from the dead. In so doing he dealt with the boulder of sin and left us the reward of eternal life.

This year resolve to use Gods help to deal with the boulders of life, by faith in Jesus Christ and

claim the reward of riches beyond our imagination.

Happy New Year !!

Mike 

"To know Christ and to make Christ known"

www.revmike.co.uk

Dear Friends Alison is reading the autobiography of Rolf Harris at the moment. It’s title is taken from his favourite catchphrase that he always used when carrying out those fabulous paintings, “Can you tell what it is yet ?

Sometimes I wonder if Advent is a bit like that. Here we are in the waiting season; children are opening doors on their advent calendars; already decorations are starting to go up; shops are getting full. Everybody is rushing around in order to get December 25th just right and there is the usual cry of “What’s the point of it all ?”

Well, just like one of the paintings of Rolf Harris there is the bare canvas and none of us know what is coming next. I like to think that this is like the creation account in Genesis, when God begins his wonderful universe. Then he adds layer after layer of colour and still the question hangs “Can you tell what it is yet ?”. Eventually after painting in all the prophets, the disobedience of humankind, the faithfulness of God the picture is almost complete but it still needs one last detail and we’re still asking “Can you tell what it is yet ?”

Finally, God paints into his creation the nativity scene of Mary Joseph, the angels, the shepherds and the wise men. His finishing touch to this masterpiece is Jesus Christ himself, and the question remains “Can you tell what it is yet ?” and this time the answer is a resounding “YES !!!” There in front of us in that magnificent nativity scene is the picture of salvation.

Gods answer to all the worlds problems is to give a solution and that solution is the child, Jesus, born to take the sin of the world upon his shoulders, to grant forgiveness and offer us the route to Heaven. God has painted salvation for us all in the bright vivid colours of the life of Jesus Christ.

What is our response ? For me, it will always be “WOW !” followed by “Thank you Lord”

This Christmas let your response to the picture of salvation in that stable be one of thankfulness and why not express your thankfulness at a carol service or in a church on Christmas Day itself. Surely God deserves that for this gloriously real picture ?

May I wish you all a very happy, blessed Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Useful Web Links

• Remember revmikes Web site:-  http://revmike.co.uk
• Time to reflect ? :-  http://www.lostinwonder.org.uk/ 
• Learn more about Jesus http://www.rejesus.co.uk/
• 24-7 prayer http://24-7prayer.com
• Ripley Methodist Church http://ripleymethodist.co.uk
• Build a house Romania Appeal http://build-a-home.eu

the letters, people and the world in general. There’s something wonderful to be amongst the first to see a new day dawning and I spent a few minutes this morning standing in the Ripley doorway listening to the birds starting to emerge from their slumbers.

I’m also reminded that this was an exercise that was followed by many of our great spiritual leaders; John Wesley woke up at 4.00 a.m. every morning to read scripture and pray, AND he expected his preachers to follow the same discipline!!

Of course it is an exercise that goes much further back than that. We look in Mark 1:35 which says of Jesus “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Notice the scheme of things ......

• Very Early – Dawn
• Still Dark – Determination
• Got up – Discipline
• Left the house – Discomfort
• Went to a solitary place – Disturbance
• Where he prayed - Devotion

Jesus got up at dawn with determination. It was his discipline despite the discomfort it caused. The normal routine and pattern were disturbed. Why? Because he was devoted to God.

Now I’m not advocating that we should all get up at 4.00 in the morning, but I am suggesting that we should all find time to “rest up” in the Lord, to “listen” to the Lord, and to “share” with the Lord our troubles. After all if it was good enough for Jesus then it should be good enough for us!

The great revivals began with pray; just imagine what could be achieved if we once again became a committed people of prayer.

Have you noticed how peoples attitude to the weather has changed recently ? In June/July we were complaining about it being too hot and how uncomfortable it was. Just the other day I overheard someone complaining about the cold and the volume of rain we’ve had recently.

They then continued to grumble about the British weather.

Well it’s a favourite topic that we all engage in, but I believe it also shows the fickleness of human nature. Because we all want everything to go our way then we are quick to point out when it doesn’t. We easily forget the fifty one good things that may have happened to us in any given week but we just as easily remember the one bad thing ! We can forget the love of other Church members shown by their interest in our news, but we remember when they’ve disagreed with us over some triviality. I know tha this is true because I’ve fallen into the same trap, and its not just in Church either.

Within our streets and communities we can see the failings in others far sooner than we acknowledge the failings in ourselves. I think that this is often because we don’t want to face up to our own shortcomings.

And yet Jesus spoke of “Love one another as I have loved you” and “remove the log from your own eye before you remove the speck from your brothers”. Jesus knew what human nature was like and was pointing us towards a better way of life. Just imagine what the world would be like if everyone adopted the Jesus model of putting others first before themselves. If that’s too big to cope with then just imagine what your community, your street, your own home would be like if we followed the same principle.

As a child I was taught the simple acronym , Joy. It stands for………………..

                                J                Jesus

                                O                Others

                                Y                Yourself.

If we can learn to make that an order of priority, then I believe we will make the world around us a better place. Bring the love of Jesus into the world by JOY.

Hi

Well, I returned from Methodist Conference in Edinburgh, tired, worn~out but extremely pleased that I had attended. Since returning many have asked me to describe the experience.

Unfortunately, unless you have been there, its one of those experiences that cannot be understood by others; the mixture of excitement at seeing the breadth of Methodism gathering from different parts of the world, the challenge of understanding the issues that are being debated, the sheer boredom of listening to the same people time after time who obviously just want their voice and name to be known and the responsibility of knowing that you are furthering the work of Christ is at times overwhelming.

Conference is an unpredictable animal. We discovered this during one debate when the presenters of an issue obviously expected to get the go ahead unanimously, but on that day Conference wasn’t in a mood to “rubber~stamp” anything and the decision went the opposite way.

We were led appropriately by the President and Vice~President who together ensured that all debates were Christ centred by the simple placing of a cross in the centre of the hall, in the eyeline of every Conference member. The Conference hall itself was surrounded by a series of prayer stations so that we were literally enveloped in prayer throughout our proceedings.

At the moment I am still debating whether or not to allow my name to go forward for next years Conference (as I will be on Sabbatical at the time) in Blackpool. We shall see.

Meanwhile we come back to the day~to~day work of the Church in our local community. In many ways it is the same as Conference (or should be). There will be times when the work is repetitive, hard, tiring, but at other times it will be inspiring as we work alongside our partner churches of other denominations.  There will be the same faces doing all the work, for whatever reason, and other people sitting on the sidelines not quite sure of where they fit in. There will be times when the best laid plans are challenged and overturned, but throughout it all there should always be the cross of Jesus at the centre of all our thinking; there should always the need for prayer to surround all our thinking and work and there should always be the sense of privilege of being called by God to be a partner in the work of building the Kingdom of Christ.

Have a blessed Summer and may you all return from your holidays at home or away refreshed and feeling the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your friend in Christ

Mike redshaw

Dear All   I'm writing this from conference in Edinburgh. Conference is a good reminder
that the church is bigger than here in Codnor or even in Ripley circuit.

Dear Friends

Have you been to see the Da Vinci Code film yet starring Tom Hanks ? I dare say that some of you will go to see it and others will be equally determined not to

It is quite some time since a film has caused such a stir, even before it was released. Much of the Church is denouncing it because of the assumptions the film (and book) make regarding our Lord Jesus, and his supposed sexual liaison with Mary Magdalene. The conspiracy theorists within the world argue that they had a child when living in France and there are still descendents of that child today !

This doesn’t worry me for this theory has been around for centuries and I am sure that the Church is much stronger than any man made fantasy. The Church will still be around long after this current fad has passed by.

However what does concern me is the way in which many who see the film will accept that it is fact, for we live in a world where discernment is often overlooked in the search for scandal, for sensationalism, and for arguments to substantiate what suits us (whether it be true or not). There will be those who leave the cinema, not debating the issue in their own minds, but convinced that the film must be true, and yet time after time the theories that Dan Brown proposes have been proven to be without foundation. Many centuries have passed whilst this debate has raged but no one has been able to add to the argument, simply because there is no evidence for the original accusation.

I’m told that the book is a cracking good read and that the film is a dreadful bore; at some stage I will read the book and I will see the film. However when I do I am sure that I will do so in the full knowledge that it is a work of fiction. I shall then come home and read fact; the Bible ! A book which tells me about the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, about how God created the world, of how he loved humankind so much that he became human himself, walked the earth, died on the cross, rose from the dead and sent his Holy Spirit to be with us today.

And before anyone says “Ah, but where is the evidence for its truth ?” let me assure everyone that the evidence for the accuracy of the Bible we have today is widely accepted by most leading historians as accepted fact.

Whereas the Da Vinci Code contains speculation and fiction the Bible contains truth, a wealth of information to help me live my life, and ultimately it contains revelation about Jesus that is so mind blowing that it can change your life for ever.

I know which I’d rather read. What about you ?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Towards the end of June I will be travelling to Edinburgh for the annual Methodist Conference. Please pray for me and all the other delegates as this is an extremely important gathering where many difficult decisions will have to be made; many of which will impact upon our local church and situation.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

www.revmike.co.uk

Dear all As you read this you might be feeling as though Easter is well and truly done with for another year. We can get back to the "proper" business of the day to day running of the Church and life !! You may well now be planning for your summer holidays, harvest celebrations and preparing for the headlong rush into Christmas, for it seems to come earlier each year.     

Well Easter may have happened over two weeks ago but for me it is the continuous season. Christmas, although it begins so early, really does feel over and done with by the begining of January. Perhaps this is because it is all about a little child, and we all know that children grow up and change. Cute, cuddly little babies become snarling teenagers full of hormonal difficulties or so the media would portray them, and sometimes this is truly the case. Perhaps its because of the knowledge that Jesus is to grow up into a man that means that Christmas is a shortlived season.

However I feel that Easter is different. Jesus has risen from the dead, communicated with his followers and ascended into Heaven. More importantly he has left he instruction at the close of Matthews Gospel, "I will be with you till the end of the age". That would not have been possible had he remained in his human state. In order to know that Christ is with us at all times we need to appreciate that he is resurrected from the dead. The words "Jesus is alive" are so powerful and important, for they remind us that he is with us each day. Consequently we are living in resurrection times, now awaiting the new heaven and the new Earth which Jesus will bring when he returns again.

I believe that this knowledge that Jesus is alive should affect the way we live each day for we ought to desire to live in the way that would please Jesus. In my own life I know that involves changes, massive changes, for I get things wrong and I desire not to. If I am to be more Christlike I have to let go of some desires and replace them with the desires of Jesus. I, therefore, pray each day that I will change and in many areas it is a lifelong process of slow, gradual change. There is a little ditty which says

I may not be what I ought to be,

I may not be what I'd like to be,

But by the Grace of God

I'm not what I used to be !

None of us who have fully accepted the resurrected Jesus into our lives can be the people we used to be because he has begun to change us. This is what I mean when I say that Easter just keeps on going on. The resurrection for me brings hope that I too will be changed as the hymn writer puts it "from glory into glory" and I pray that for each person who reads this there will be the same desire, to allow Jesus to change our lives to be more like his, for this is true resurrection joy.

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Dear Friends

What does Easter mean to you ?

Easter Bunnies ? Easter Eggs ? Daffodils ? Spring Sales ?

Easter means different things to different people, but to Christians it can surely only mean one

thing………….HOPE !! As we remember and celebrate the resurrection  of Jesus Christ we must

consider the implications for us and our lives. We live in a world where there is so much

hopelessness; people are anxious over money worries, job concerns, relationships etc; our

teenagers face enormous pressures over exams, drugs, sex; our children cannot play in the

streets safely in the same way as many of us ‘so called oldies’ did, because of cars and other

concerns; we all face up to the continued threat of terrorism, bird flu, global warfare and other

such threats. I believe that we live in an age where there is more distrust and cynicism of others

than ever before. Many people literally don’t know where to turn.

Our generation are surely living through an historic winter where everything seems dark and full of

despair, but just as surely as winter is followed by Spring, we too must see this as a time of hope,

and the Easter message reminds us of this.

Good Friday is the day when we remember how our Lord Jesus gave himself voluntarily to the

forces of evil, when he was crucified and died so that his sacrifice might act as a bridge between

humankind and God. Upon that cross he was to take all the sins of the world (our sins) and declare

forgiveness by accepting the punishment that should have been ours.

This must have been a dark, dismal, anxious time for the disciples as they didn’t know which way to

turn or what to do. This was their winter.

Easter Sunday is a reminder of the hope that comes; the spring that comes from winter. As the

disciples visited the empty tomb on that Easter morning, they must have grasped the truth of the

Gospel………Jesus is alive !!

The hope that we can carry in an uncertain world is that Jesus Christ is Risen and can therefore

help each and everyone of us to cope with the difficulties of this world. He makes sense of it all by

showing he is in charge and wishes to lead us through it all.

I’m very mindful of the words of that great hymn “And can it be………” The final verse proclaims

“My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose went forth and followed Thee…..”

The hope in a darkened world is that the chains of anxiety, depression, fear, broken relationships,

drugs etc. can be broken by faith and trust in the all~conquering love of Jesus and by our placing of

our lives into his hands as our Lord and saviour.

I wish you all a very blessed Easter and may the joy of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ be known to you

all at this time.

As most of you will know Pye Hill Methodist Church will be requesting permission of the Circuit

Meeting for permission to cease meeting and draw their fellowship to a close. While we share with

them the pain over this and we wish to allow them time to grieve, we also give thanks to God for the

faithfulness of the early visionaries who saw the need for a witness in Jacksdale, who made great

sacrifices to bring this about. We also give thanks for the faithfulness that many people over the

generations since and right up to the present day have shown in continuing that witness. They are

to be commended for the way in which they have fulfilled Gods mission.

However, God does bring his work to a conclusion as he moves onto new things, and so at Pye Hill

it is time to journey on to new ventures and new work. Please pray for the people of this precious

Chapel as they seek Gods will for them, and please nurture them into new fellowships across our

circuit.

As a circuit we will be holding a joint Easter Communion on Easter Sunday at 6.00 p.m. at Pye Hill

Church. This will, in effect, be the last public service in this Chapel and it would be a wonderful

gesture of support if as many folk from around the circuit as possible could come to this service, so

that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ can be proclaimed and as an affirmation that we continue to

trust in Him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The District Prayer fortnight begins on Good Friday until April 28th and we are all encouraged to

hold the work of Methodism and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in our prayers during this time. Ripley

Methodist Church will be representing us during this time as they are holding a 24/7 prayer event,

beginning on Palm Sunday and continuing to Easter Sunday. I have notified the District that this

event (as it overlaps with the District prayer) will form our contribution to the fortnight. Anyone who

wishes to help Ripley and fill an hours slot in prayer in the Chapel prayer room is most welcome to

contact either me or Karen Biggs.

The prayer room at Ripley has become a precious part of the building and over this last year we

have slowly soaked its walls with prayer, using pictures, stickers, paint and other mediums to

express ourselves. Many have spoken of how powerful it is to be in the room itself and how much it

added to the message of Easter last year. Come and join the Ripley folk.

Mike Redshaw

(mikexl2003@yahoo.com)    

Welcome to any visitors to our web site who may have come to us after seeing the address at our pantomime, Snow White and the seven dwarfs.

Secondly I hope that you enjoyed coming to our Chapel and seeing that Christians can have fun together, for the Christian journey isn’t one about being serious the whole time but it is about getting a balance to life, mixing enjoyment and pleasure with the day to day need to work and earn a living. Please feel free to come and meet us in our Church one Sunday and you’ll see that the enjoyment we’ve had on our stage is also to be had in our weekly worship.

Dear Friends

One month gone already ! Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun ? (or when you’re busy ?) Certainly within the life of our circuit there is a tremendous amount happening.

Elsewhere in the circuit people are involved with Bible Study courses, visits to the Christian Resources Exhibition at Coventry, Worship Leaders training courses, and many other things. In addition to all this there are the regular weekly church activities held in all our buildings. The church, wherever it is, still offers much to its community.

In Codnor and Waingroves preparations are underway for the visit of students from Cliff College near Calver. Cliff College is a Methodist training college specialising in evangelism and mission. 9~12 students will join us for a week beginning on April 1^st and they will help us (and our partner churches of St. James and St. Luke’s, Loscoe) to carry out our work in this community and in our neighbouring communities. The title of the mission is 44J (Four churches for Jesus). The week will entail visits to local schools, to church groups and inevitably will involve meeting people wherever and whatever they are doing.

Often when we think about evangelism we envisage street corner preaching and cringe~worthy events. This visit by Cliff college will be nothing like that. They are coming to help, support and share with us so that in our day to day lives and work we can spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So please commit this visit  to your daily prayers, for the students, for the 4 churches and for the different communities involved.

A second initiative that I want to highlight is the visit on Feb. 25~26^th of Rev. Dr Mike Bossingham to our Circuit. Mike is a personal friend of mine, but more importantly he is the director of the Family Friendly Churches Trust. On the Saturday Mike will lead a series of workshops showing us how we can make our churches more friendly and welcoming. The Saturday evening will involve a “fun quiz” (no hard questions, but a lot of fun) so I hope a lot of people will come along. On the Sunday afternoon Mike will continue with another workshop. All this will take place at Waingroves Methodist Church. I strongly feel that this could be an important initiative in the life of our Circuit, and I encourage all Local Preachers, Junior Church workers, worship leaders and in general anyone who feels that they would like to make our churches more friendly and welcoming to families and people to come along. This is also open to neighbouring circuits and denominations. There are posters in all the Churches and more information/booking can be made through me. (743177)

So 2006 has truly got under way; lets make a difference in our churches and community this year for Jesus.

Mike Redshaw

Dear Friends

Christmas approaches all too quickly, and preparations have to be made; buy the turkey, write the cards, “what shall we buy Grandad this year ?”

etc. I always find it strange that we have all year to prepare for Christmas but it always remains a mad rush at the end !! I like to think that its because I’m far too busy working hard to find the time to prepare, but more likely its perhaps that’s because I’m disorganised !

Christmas is a time of giving. Firstly we give gifts to each other as expressions of our love and care. I particularly like the Christian Aid (and others) challenge to “buy a goat” for someone in the Third World as an expression of our care for them. I hope that many goats and other necessities will be given this year, for the command of Jesus was to “Love our neighbour as ourselves”.

Christmas is also a time of remembering the giving of God, again in love and care of us. It never fails to amaze me how God gave up all the power and glory He had in Heaven to come to earth as a vulnerable little child and give Himself to humanity. He knew that the only way for this world to be restored into a true relationship with Himself was for Him to take the initiative, become human, show love for all, and ultimately go to the cross on our behalf. That’s hard for us to believe and accept with our finite human thinking, but millions of people all over the world testify to their own personal encounter with the Jesus who conquered sin and death; I am one of those people. Jesus is the best gift of all, for He is the gift from God that ensures eternal life.

And our response ? I believe that we should give all we can in response to God; in the words of the carol, by Christina Rossetti,
   “What can I give Him, poor as I am ?
  If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb,
  If I were a wise man, I would do my part,
  Yet what I can, I give Him, give my heart”

We must be prepared, this Christmas, to give our hearts and our lives in worship, service and dedication to the one who first gave Himself to us. We do this by coming to Worship, giving our adoration and making Jesus number one in our lives.

From all the Redshaw family I wish you a very happy, peaceful and blessed Christmas

Mike Redshaw

Dear Friends
Recently I challenged a church into holding a day of fasting, but not a day of fasting from food!! I asked them to spend a day without ……………….. Grumbling, criticising and complaining.  The results were interesting, to say the least

Dear Friends

Only 8 more weeks to go and the Redshaw family will have been in this circuit for a full year !! It's a sobering thought to think how quickly it has flown over. This time last year we were gearing ourselves up ready for a big change; you were all, no doubt, apprehensive about the new minister who was coming. Change is always difficult, as it takes us out of our comfort zones, and challenges us about the way we do things and why we think about things.

“We don't like modern music, because we can sing the older hymns better, because we know them; we don't like changing the style of Harvest Festival, because it isn't how it was when we grew up; we don’t want too many visitors to our church, unless they do things the way we want; we even don't like changing the Minister, even if we've grumbled about him for the last how ever many years, because the next one might be worse !!”

And yet the God we worship is a God who constantly moves us on in our spiritual journeys; Moses had to move back to Egypt in fear of his life, and then lead the people over the desert; Abraham had to set out from Ur for the promised land; John the Baptist was taken into the desert to be spiritually renewed and challenged; God himself moved out of Heaven to come to earth as Jesus. Over the years many Christians have been moved by God in order for His work to continue. I think of Martin Luther King who was moved to challenge the evil of prejudice; Terry Waite, moved to put his life at risk for hostages in the Middle East, and Mother Theresa moved to sacrifice everything for the homeless of Calcutta.

Each one of the above must have been reluctant to pick up the challenge to move on, and yet thankfully they did; and the Kingdom of God is better for it.

And it’s the same with the church today. We are all called to move on into new ways of worshipping, worship leaders, new music etc; move into new ways of prayer, 24/7, labyrinth, open prayer etc; new challenges to express our Christianity in fresh and exciting ways, perhaps giving up our church buildings, worshipping in the local pub (!), etc. Gods people have always been on the move, changing in order to remain culturally relevant to each age. Its not easy and many things we won’t like, but God is always gracious to us, putting up with our faults and failings. We, therefore, should be gracious to each other, to new ideas, and constantly being prepared to change in order to build the Kingdom of Jesus.

N.B. I am not advocating change for the sake of it ! NO, I am simply making an appeal for a community of Christians who listen for Gods voice and who are prepared to change when He tells us to.

What are you being challenged to move onto? A new work in the Church? A calling to preaching? A laying down of office? A sacrificial giving of money or resources? Even a step towards accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour? Perhaps a step onto the next Alpha course? I urge each one of us to stop being afraid of change and grasp the exciting challenge God offers us to step out in faith in the new work he is wanting to carry out, for when God calls, and when we let him lead, then no harm can befall us. After all He is the Good Shepherd of the 23^rd Psalm, and He will be with us always

Dear Friends

As I write this I’m still basking in the reflected glory of my daughters ‘A’ Level results yesterday. Vikki emerged from her course with a grade A in Drama, and two Grade B’s in History and Psychology.

In order to achieve her grades Vikki has had to work hard and for many long hours (don’t believe what the media say about exams getting easier; many students are working harder); she has had to consistently graft on an evening after a long day at school. At times she has wondered if it has been worthwhile, but in yesterdays result all the pain and anxiety were forgotten.

It’s the same with Christianity; Jesus doesn’t call us to go to church or to say the right responses when the preacher asks awkward questions; nor does he call us to a lifetime of arguing over who is to wash the chapel tea towels or to seeking of so~called prestige positions with the Chapel; no, the call from Jesus was simply to “follow me”. Simple that call may be but its very hard to carry out. To embark upon the Christian lifestyle involves self~sacrifice, putting others first, letting go of worldly things, being ridiculed, thought badly of, used, going to Church even if you don’t like the preacher or the band etc. Sadly some think that this is all a cost to expensive to pay. The story of the Rich young ruler reminds us of that. When Jesus challenged the man to give up everything he had and give it to the poor, the Bible tells us that the man walked away. Even today there a