Duncan and Shirley McLean with hymns projected on screen.
The third church was the United Methodist Church (Zimbabwean). Their first hymn was a
beautiful rendition of How Great Thou Art, sung in their own language, unaccompanied. They
finished with a loud and vibrant hymn!
...with all kinds of people in all k inds of churches in all k inds of places
December 2016
Finally, the last church was the Alpha and Omega Romanian Church who brought along a
guest speaker. He spoke about how he had been in prison for his faith in Romania and how
now they were planting new churches here. The Romanians had their own musicians with a
four-piece choir who sang Amazing Grace in both English and Romanian. To finish, there was a
choir of small boys and a girl who sang Thy Word Is a Lamp Unto My Feet. We were amused by
a little toddler who climbed up on stage to be a part of it!
Julie Bradshaw finished the service with everyone saying The Lord’s Prayer in their own
language. After that everyone went into the hall where there was a large buffet. All the
churches had donated food including a very large birthday cake in honour of a little girl.
It was an enjoyable day and quite a unique experience!
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
One of the joys of being a parent is doing something that makes your child laugh, and then
hearing him or her say, “Do it again!”
Perhaps you recall the first time you experienced a little child’s laughter. There is a
captivating pureness there that makes you smile. I recall watching a video of a laughing infant
that went viral a couple of years ago. Every news media I know of broadcast it due to its transcultural accessibility. Watch it at http://youtu.be/RP4abiHdQpc and I’ll bet your heart will be
warmed by the pure innocence of that child’s laughter.
Some of life’s greatest moments come when beholding the pure innocence of a child. Of
course, the greatest of all such moments occurred over 2,000 years ago when angels and
shepherds viewed the baby Jesus – the eternal Son of God who became flesh, lying in a lowly
manger in Bethlehem. Because Jesus is Immanuel (which means “God with us”), we rightfully
celebrate his birth every day, but especially at Christmas – the day on which billions of people
are reminded that Christmas is about Jesus, whether or not they believe him to be the Saviour
of the world. Celebrating his first coming is every bit as important as celebrating his promised
second coming – for a number of reasons, not the least of which is there can be no second
coming without the first.
Note the prophet’s words: “The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14 ESV). This sign points
to Christ’s divinity (he came from outside this world) and to his humanity (he came as a
newborn baby). Jesus was (and still is) both divine and human – as fully God as is the Father,
and as fully human as you and I are.
That Jesus was born in this way also is a sign to us that our God, who is Father, Son and Spirit,
understands our lowly state and shares fully our life with all its limitations and suffering. Our
Christian worldview helps us understand that there is more to life than what we experience in
our mortal bodies.
In Touch is an in house publication of
Grace Communion International,
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Market Harborough, LE16 7QU, UK
Copyright © 2016,
Grace Communion International,
registered Worldwide Chruch of God
All Rights Reserved
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All Scriptures unless otherwise stated
are quoted from the Holy Bible, New
International Version.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984
International Bible Society
Used by permission of Zondervan
Bible Publishers
There is an afterlife, and Jesus promised he would go ahead to prepare a place for us to dwell
with him forever. Knowing this truth helps us celebrate Christmas with the assurance that our
departed loved ones aren’t separated from us forever. Assured that the Son of God united
himself to us through the Incarnation, and thus shares our humanity forever, we are
comforted to know that our loved ones are with him when they die. Of course, we suffer the
loss of their companionship, but knowing that Jesus has conquered death on our behalf helps
us look beyond the sting and tears of our loss to the joy that is signified by Christmas.
That caring is not from a distance. Through the Incarnation God became one of us, assuming
our entire human nature from the very beginning to the very end – from the moment of
conception to the moment of death, with nothing left out in-between. In his humanity, the Son
of God understands deeply what we are going through and promises to bring an end to all
pain and suffering. Note the words of the prophet: “He will swallow up death in victory; and
the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take
away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it” (Isaiah 25:8).
I delight in these reassuring promises, remembering that in the fullness of the kingdom of God
there will be no more reason for tears – it will be a time of perfect peace. All this will come to
pass because the Son of God became the son of man.
And so we celebrate – rejoicing in the Incarnation and joining the angels in celebrating the
birth of Jesus, the pure and innocent One who brings the world eternal peace, joy and love.
*The dates for next year are 5-12 October with an Opening Night Service on Wednesday 4
October 2017.
Bridlington 2016 by David Stirk
Once again God blessed us with wonderful
weather in Bridlington. Approximately 100
members and guests enjoyed a most
exhilarating time of worship, instruction and
fellowship.
Our theme this year was “No other name” and it
brought forth a treasure trove of knowledge and
encouragement. A musical soiree was held one evening and proved to be very popular and
well attended and also our usual festival quiz.
Joseph Tkach
90th Birthday Celebration by Maureen Hanlon
Paignton Autumn Festival 2016 by Nancy Silcox
Around 240 members met between 17-24
October at Beverley Park in Goodrington, near
Paignton in Devon for a wonderful, uplifting
time of worship and fellowship.
Activities ranged from our traditional Quiz
Night, Talent Show and Hymn Sing to a Ceilidh
(Scottish Country Dancing), Bible Study and
outings to Greenway House where Agatha
Christie lived. Life Club, Paignton Zoo and
Children’s Church catered specifically for families and were well-attended.
Our meeting hall next year will be located over the road
in Beverley Bay. This attractive hall has a coffee lounge
and bar, and spectacular views over Tor Bay and
Goodrington Beach. You are welcome to book caravans
in the Beverley Bay caravan area or, as before, in
Beverley Park, and then walk across the road to the hall
each day. This takes about five minutes. Bookings are
handled, as usual, by Beverley Holidays. For caravan
and
chalet
Information/Reservations
go
to
http://www.beverley-holidays.co.uk or ring 01803661961. The postal address is: BEVERLEY HOLIDAYS, Goodrington Road, Paignton, Devon
TQ4 7JE Some caravans can be booked by the day, for those who cannot come for the full
time. David Silcox is Festival Co-Ordinator and can be contacted by emailing
[email protected] . Mention you are booking for the WCG/GCI Autumn Festival to
arrange for the 9 day period and rate. Photo is Beverley Bay Hall.
The Manchester church is delighted to celebrate the 90th
birthday of our much loved member Alice Yarwood. Alice was
born in Stalybridge on the 14th October 1926, she is a bright,
sprightly, tiny lady who continues to help serve tea in church as
well as help at the Messy Church outreach once a month. Alice
and her husband, Cyril, have been church members for 30 years
and are known by many who have attended the festival in
Bridlington. We wish Alice a very Happy Birthday and many
more to come!
Combined Church Services at Luton by Margaret Gibbon
On Sunday 11th September 2016, the four
churches who use the Farley Hill Methodist
Church building met together for a joint service.
Each church had to participate with two
hymns/songs, a bible reading, a prayer and a
“few words” about their church.
The service was opened by Julie Bradshaw, the
local Methodist minister. We sang their choice of
hymns, heard a bible reading by their new lady
deacon, followed by a prayer from Julie and a
short history of the Methodists.
Following on was Grace Communion Church, Luton. Duncan McLean spoke about our church’s
journey from Radio Church of God, through Worldwide Church of God and onto Grace
Communion International. The live music for the first half of the service was provided by