As I edit the weekly podcasts I’ve started noticing that there is always a cough at the end of the sermon.
As Andrew, Ian or anyone else says ‘amen’, or a similar word, it’s always followed by a cough.
I don’t have anything profound to say about this, it’s just an observation 
.
For me the final words of my journey through the Bible this year were:
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
I also read the last words of the Bible:
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.
With those words my Bible in a Year journey for 2011 reaches 100%. It feels good to have been able to read through the whole of the Bible, it’s an achievement.
Congratulations to you too if today has also been the marking of a goal achieved.
But this isn’t the end of the journey. As I look back there were so many bit where I was conscious that I was reading, but not really understanding. There were parts where I’m sure that I didn’t understand the significance of what was being said. I’m also reasonably sure that there will be parts that I misunderstood. So it has been an achievement to read the Bible in a year, but it’s only been a part of the longer journey of faith, hope and love.
I’m still not sure what I’m going to do next year (tomorrow), but I am sure that I’m going to take another step towards understanding our saviour as he reveals himself through the words of the Bible.
There’s a wonderful set of events planned for this Christmas at Fulwood Free Methodist Church:
To get us started we are hosting the Saltmine Theatre Company and their production The Three Musketeers.
Saturday 17th December at 2:30pm. Tickets cost £3.
Unfortunately we have already sold out of tickets for this one, but we are keeping a waiting list if you would like to contact the church office.
A favourite at Christmas is Carols by Candelight, with bible readings, carols and the the usual amount of Fulwood creativity.
Sunday 18th December with the service starting at 6:30pm.
Come early because we expect to be full, actually, come from 5:30pm for hot fruit punch.
If you want to invite your friend via Facebook the event is here.
Christmas Proms with the Fulwood Concert Youth Band is another Fulwood Christmas tradition.
Join us and enjoy wonderful music with some traditional carols and some more modern music.
Wednesday 21st December at 7:30pm.
It’s free entry and there’s free refreshments in the break too.
If you want to invite your friend via Facebook the event is here.
Christmas Day this year is a Sunday so why not join us at 10:00am for a shortened service of about 45 minutes. Come early though because we will be full.
It’s a great time to celebrate the birth of a saviour.
Why not bring along a present to show Pastor Andrew.
If you want to invite your friend via Facebook the event is here.
It was back in January when I first started reflecting upon a journey I had started, a journey to read the whole of the Bible in a year. At that point I had barely started having completed a small 3.3% of the distance.
I set out a number of things that I intended to do and as we pass the 90% mark I’d just like to reflect on how that has gone:
Personally I’m using a new One Year Bible that was very kindly given to me as a Christmas gift. There’s something very tactile about a new book.
My new Bible has become a wonderful part of my daily reading time. I’ve loved knowing that I’ve worked through every page as I’ve progressed.
“I’m trying to set aside the same time every day so that it becomes something of a ritual”
Although I work in an office, I don’t work 9-to-5 but I have, for the most part, managed to carve out a regular consistent time. Much like many others, I attend meetings in different places and at different times, but there are also holidays and other times when I’m not getting up at my normal time it’s not always been possible to hold to a regular time. I’ve tried to hold these differences in the programme lightly and to be as consistent as I can.
So I’m also tracking my reading through YouVersion.com which has exactly the same reading plan online.
As well as using a physical Bible I’ve also been using an online reading plan. Seeing the progress online has been a great help but also writing these blog posts has meant that I’ve felt like I’ve had an accountability framework around me. When we are trying to build new habits or to strengthen existing ones it’s important that we have a framework that supports the change that we want to make. It’s a lesson I’ve learnt through Celebrate Recovery.
While I’m here, you may think that Celebrate Recovery is there for people with big problems and issues to resolve, it is, but that’s not all it’s there for. The purpose of Celebrate Recovery is to deepen our relationship with Jesus. As I’ve read through the Bible this year, time and time again, I’ve seen how God has been there for people through life’s journey.
As we pass this 90% mark let’s be thankful for the journey we’ve come on, but also let’s start looking forward to the wonderful journey that Jesus has for us ahead.
As well this site there are a number of other places where you can interact with us.
These two have been around for a while:
and now, new from today:
As you’ll see we’ve not really got to far in making anything of Google+, but it’s a start 
.
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