Relationships First

Pass the Salt - 25 January 2012

Relationships first

I declare this year the Year of the Relationship.

What does this mean? It means our planning for the year is going to be focused on promoting the essential place of relationships in our lives.

This of course is no surprise to you. It’s all part of our intention to promote and develop the Nucleus Groups for Chapel Hill as a complement to other relationship-building times such as Life Groups and Sunday Encounters (my name for ‘church services’).

Do you have some ideas on this? What would you like to see done, e.g. a marriage enrichment weekend? Think outside the square, and get radical...and be willing to engage in helping pull this off because sometimes the best relationship-forming times are those when we’re working elbow to elbow on something worth doing!

I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas.

Praise God who hears our prayers

On Sunday night, a large gathering of Chapel Hill members joined in prayer for those ill and suffering in our congregation. One of those prayed for is fighting against the swift onset of cancer. So swift and aggressive is this cancer that doctors were unsure whether our friend - whom we shall call John for privacy's sake - would stabilise to the point of even receiving treatment.

But, praise God for the miracle that has occurred – for it can only be a miracle. On Monday John had another series of blood tests to plot his progress. Not being a doctor, I don’t know exactly what they are looking for, except that his ‘blood levels’ were very high, and needed to come down dramatically. John returned to hospital Tuesday for the results only to find an amazed medical team – his blood results were extraordinarily good and well beyond expectations. Treatment can begin now with a hope of good results.

This is amazing. This is our God. Praise him for his love, and his power to overturn the impossible and transcend natural limitations. Pray with increased faith for greater works for all those among us who are suffering, struggling and are seeking God’s saving power to be made known in the here and now.

To request prayer, we have a prayer form on-site or contact Paddy in the office who can do this for you.