Our thoughts on the Psalms

Having meditated and mused on a Psalm or two we all turned up to our gathering on 25th July and contributed the following.

* God meets us where we’re at and takes us somewhere better...
* I must sing a new song - or dry up and bust!
* When things press in... How majestic is your name...!  Psalm 8
* When I kept thing to myself I felt weak deep inside me.....   The Lord says
* I will make you wise and show you where to go.  I will guide you and watch over you... Psalm 32
* Dear God, thank you for creating us and thank you for all the wonderful things we have.  Amen
* Each week, each day, each second, every day, give me Grace to embrace the pace.
* “I will bless the lord at all times”....  on the good days and on the bad days, in the happy times and in the painful, sad times “I will bless the Lord!”
* Psalm 34. I will boast only in the Lord... Taste and see that the Lord is good  
* He breaths light and colour into who we truly are
* You take care for the Land
* You crown the Year with your bounty
* The grasslands, the hills, the meadows, the valleys.  
* They shout for Joy and Sing! From Psalm 65
* Clothed with gladness - blessing! - Overflow - covered with flocks - mantled with grain - abundance!
* He is always there.  He will never leave me or forsake me.
* God meets us where we’re at and takes us somewhere better....
* You’re always near (song) 
.... ever present in time of need     Psalm 46
.... even there your hand will guide me  Psalm 139
* Psalm 139. He knows me.  Completely.  
* Everything about me.  He knows me.  
* He know my limits, He knows me
* He is with me. He is everywhere.
* He is in all things.  
* He is involved at the beginning of our lives and he is involved at the end.
* He knows us.  
* Show me your ways O Lord, Teach me your paths;
* Guide me in the truth and teach me,
* For you are God my saviour, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25: 4-5
* What a mixed bag - Joy and Pain!
* The enemy will try - a very good try - to steel our Joy, BUT MY GOD IS THE STRONGEST.
* Psalm 46 - Be still and know that I am God
* Psalm 77 - You strode right through the ocean ... nobody saw you come or go.
* Psalm 145   - He does what is best for those who him - hears them call and saves them.  
* I lift you up high in praise, MY God, O my king!
* God is magnificent... no boundaries to his greatness.....  
* I compose songs on your greatness; I compose songs on your wonders
* God gives a hand to those down on their luck ...  gives a fresh start to those ready to quit !   
* God of reality - in the joy and the pain
* When the going gets tough, the tough get going........ To God!

Don't forget...

Ahead of our time together this Sunday it would be great if you could have a look at the list below and choose a topic which is apprpoiatte to a sitution you are in currently. Then choose a Psalm to use as a meditation. When you've spent some time with God looking at your chosen Psalm try to write down any thoughts, feelings or phrases which arise from this and bring them along next time we meet when we will use them as a basis for our worship. 

Click on the image for a larger view.

Home work!

As discussed during our time toegther this morning... have a look at the list below and choose a topic which is apprpoiatte to sitution you are in currently. Then choose a Psalm to use as a meditation. When you've spend some time with God looking at your chosen Psalm try to write down any thoughts, feelings or phrases which arise from this and bring them along next time we meet when we will use them as a basis for our worship. 

Click on the image for a larger view.

This morning we were blessed by the visit of Malc Garda. Malc talked about the need to put our hope in God alone even through tough times and the need for intamacy as a spring board for all that we do. He spoke about how a section of Psalm 73 had inspired him. Have a read...

²¹ Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
      and I was all torn up inside.
 ²² I was so foolish and ignorant—
      I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
 ²³ Yet I still belong to you;
      you hold my right hand.
 ²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
      leading me to a glorious destiny.
 ²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
      I desire you more than anything on earth.
 ²⁶ My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
      but God remains the strength of my heart;
      he is mine forever.

Sustenance...

You may or may not be aware of Podcasts. They are basically recordings usually issued daily, weekly or monthly which can be downloaded and listened to.

Recently stumbled across the podcast from a church in the states. I downloaded all the available talks a had a listen. If you're someone who finds an American voice annoying then stay with it there's some great stuff. Click here and to visit the site which explains how to 'subsribe' or just download.

Sunday 13th...

The United Reformed Church was packed from wall to wall for Joan's Funeral. Many a happy memory was shared and poignant thought expressed as we remembered our wonderful friend.

This Sunday we gather again and will be looking at Psalm 86. 11-13 with John, Rich and Bob. We meet at the usual place with tea and coffee from 10am. During the morning we will be taking a special offering for Hannah to help support her continuing work in The Gambia/Paris with the S people.

After our gathering we will be enjoying a 'bring 'n' share' lunch together and sharing news and info about church goings on in our usual 'chat & chew' style church meeting.

Sad News...

The sudden and unexpected death of Joan Roadnight last Saturday has left a huge gap in our church community. We rejoice with her that she is with her Lord whom she loved so dearly but she will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with Eric, James and Helen and Lorraine and Ram, and also with her wider family and the many people in our local community who will all miss her. Joan has been an inspiration to us all and was ready to ‘step into the next room’ to be with Jesus as she lived her life in such close communion with him. We are the richer for having shared in some of her journey.

Joan’s funeral will be on Friday 28^th, 2.00 pm at the United Reformed Church. 

The Psalms

This seasons we are looking at the Psalms. Beautiful, honest and inspiring among other things, these 150 poems and songs could keep us occupied for years! Instead we are taking time during our Sunday meetings until the summer to study this book. We will be leaving it up to the speaker and overseer  to choose which Psalm/s we look at and how we explore them together.

Notes from Annie's introductory talk are in the Links section and you are invited to delve into the Psalms yourselves, perhaps re-visiting an old favourite or discovering new things and maybe sharing what you find when we meet or on the Blog.

Here are some links to help you


Click here for Psalms in simple English and some notes

Click here for the Psalms in more fancy language!

Click here to have the Psalms read to you... in English too!

In true Petworth Community Church style, the younger generation were well represented at the weekend away.   From our own little granddaughter Esme-Rose, to the fast growing Oli, children were a large part of the weekend.   And the highlight of this was helping Callum celebrate his 10th birthday with that wonderful cake !

The theme of the weekend was about equipping the saints; we looked at ‘church’ - it’s organic nature, how to ensure that it is sustainable and future proof.   We explored the ministries that Paul discusses in Ephesians 4 and began to indentify and confirm our own, and each others, ministries and gifts  - recognising that these aren’t fixed and boundaried, but changing depending on our particular situations and activities -  based around our changing life callings.    They are meant to be operating both within the church when it is gathered and in ‘church in the community’.  

As we prayed for Nigel and Emma in their particular calling in parenting Esme-Rose, my mind went back 30 years to when the then PCF met in the Red Cross Centre, and I used to look after Nigel each Sunday morning in the kitchen.  It struck me that what we were praying about was ‘reproduction’  -  ensuring that the past and present is re-birthed into the future.   But Esme-Rose is not a clone of Nigel  -  she is the result of the coming together of Emma and Nigel  -  producing something new and unique. 

And that is why the ministries and gifts are given - to ensure that church is continually re-birthed into the future through the equipping of the saints.   Not a replica of now, but an organism ‘fit for purpose’ for the demands of tomorrow.

Over the last year Ruth and I have become proud grandparents of Molly and Esme-Rose, but we have also enjoyed welcoming Hannah’s son Theo (Nick’s girlfriend), and Carla’s Elijah.   During the weekend, I found myself instinctively ‘looking after’ the various children who were there - regardless of whether they ‘belonged’ to me.   Looking after other peoples’ babies is part of the privilege of belonging to the church family.   It is not only baby-sitting when requested - it is about praying for, and nurturing, the families and the children. (No I am not offering a babysitting service !)

There are of course other babies that we are called to look after  -  the particular ‘babies’ we each carry in the form of ministries and gifting.   We need to be nurturing each others’ calling -  giving them space to be and exercise their gifts,  supporting and encouraging them as they go out into the community as church -  representing the risen Lord Jesus, and taking Kingdom values into the various situations we face.     

So what’s your ‘baby’ ?    And whose ‘baby’ can you nurture ?   

Tony April 2010