The return of 2009 (in podcasts)

Posted on 1 May 2012 by Graham Chastney

A little while ago we had to archive a lot of our older podcasts because of some storage challenges.

Fountains AbbeyToday 2009 returned to the podcasts.

If you can’t remember back that far here’s an idea of what we covered in 2009:

What does the Holy Spirit still have to teach us from these messages?

As always these messages are available for listening and also for download. If you don’t know how to download then there’s some instructions here. If you are someone who uses iTunes then you might also like to know that you can subscribe to the podcasts in the iTunes store.

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Baptism Service – Sunday 29th April 2012 PM

Posted on 27 April 2012 by Graham Chastney

This Sunday evening (29th April 2012) is a Baptism Service.

Baptism Services are always a great time to celebrate with people as they share testimony, affirm their faith and go through the waters of baptism.

That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we’re going in our new grace-sovereign country.

Romans 6:3-4 (The Message)

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Good Friday: The Preston Passion

Posted on 5 April 2012 by Graham Chastney

Tomorrow is Good Friday, it’s also the day when many from across the city come together for the Preston Passion. There’s quite a few people from FFMC taking part.

This is how it’s described on the BBC:

Fern Britton presents a ground-breaking live event marking Good Friday with a contemporary and ambitious exploration of the Passion story. A unique combination of spectacular mass participation performance and three original recorded dramas (starring Samantha Bond, Tom Ellis, Christine Bottomley, Pooky Quesnel, Ronald Pickup and Paul Barber) in moving stories based in Preston past and present, drawing on the enduring universal themes of the story of Christ’s condemnation and crucifixion. Traditional Holy Week choral music also combines with a modern day celebration of Easter as Heather Small sings live, marking the historic Preston Guild festivities.

If you haven’t got a ticket then you can watch it on BBC One from 12:00.

Although the description says that Heather Small will be singing she has, unfortunately had to pull due to illness fortunately Jamelia has stepped in.

A behind the scenes view is also available here.

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Easter 2012 Sermon Series

Posted on 3 March 2012 by Graham Chastney

This Sunday we are starting our new Sermon Series leading up to Easter.

clip_image002[5]In the mornings as we move closer to the cross and the resurrection our title will be Focus on the Cross.

The bible tells us in Luke 9:51 that “Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem!”

The cross is like a cut diamond! It has many bright facets which catch the light of God’s glory. One key facet is the story of atonement; how does Jesus take our sins so we are forgiven?

clip_image002[7]In the evening we’ll be looking at The Short Epistles.

The Epistles were letters written to a person or a group of people in an area. Some of these letter are lengthy, but there are some that are so short that there length they are only counted in verses.

Despite their size these letters still have something to say to each one of us.

A leaflet for this series is available here.

The picture that we’ve used for the Focus on the Cross series comes from a recent visit to Lindisfarne. It’s a simple wooden cross that’s been erected on a small island just off the main island.  This has been a place of Christian worship for centuries, and there right at the centre of it was an empty cross. Without the cross and the subsequent resurrection our faith is just like many other belief systems, with the cross our faith stands alone as one where we follow a living saviour.

1 Corinthians defines the importance of the cross more eloquently than I could ever manage:

For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

1 Corinthians 15:13-19

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Performing in The Preston Passion

Posted on 1 February 2012 by Graham Chastney

The BBC and Preston Guild are jointly hosting a Passion Play the Easter in the centre of the city as part of this year’s Guild celebrations. The performance will include over 1000 local performers and singers. Applications are now open for people wanting to take part.

imageThe live BBC One programme for Good Friday 2012 will be a contemporary and dramatic re-telling of the Passion story and feature an exciting combination of live performance and innovative drama.

The programme is a modern day dramatic re-telling of the Passion story, featuring an exciting combination of live performance, music and innovative drama. The programme will be broadcast live on BBC One on 6th April from an outdoor location in the centre of Preston.

Locally recruited performers and singers will help create the live spectacle and three specially written filmed dramas – inspired by the real lives of Preston people through history and today – will depict the core themes of the Passion story.

Information on applying to perform or to sing is available on the Preston Guild web site.

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