It was a day of new beginnings today. The old has gone and the new has come. We had a great time of worship and communion on Sunday and we had church in our partially rendered building, which is going to look excellent when it is finished. Pictures will be posted later! It was also the beginning of a new year - a new financial year and with that came the retirement of our current treasurer. Barrie has served faithfully as treasurer for 8 years and it was a great chance for us all to thank and honour him for the work he has faithfully done in that role.

Mike continued his theme from last time he was with us and talked about another foundational stone as you build a church - unity and encouragement.

We are the body and Jesus is the head of the body. Like all bodies, for one function to work, the others need to be working. A responsibility of being in the body is loving the way Jesus loves. We’re required to love with the Jesus type of love and our concept of Jesus’ love is probably misunderstood. Judas was with Jesus and he was loved by Jesus.

We need everyone to contribute to the body. We all have to give an account of what we’ve down with what Jesus has given us. In Rom 12:5 Paul says that we notice if a member of the body is missing.

The natural body does get sick. The body of Christ also gets sick. Some of these are the fruit of the sinful nature listed in Gal 5:19-20. They are all preventable. If we loved one another, they wouldn’t happen.

Growth, health and spiritual vitality all happen when people love one another. Who are you caring for/praying for/supporting in the church today?

1 Pet 3:7 says treat your wives with respect so that your prayers aren’t hindered. We need to apply that to the church. We need to genuinely care for people, like the scriptures tell us to.
1. Importance - We are all important. Nobody is more or less important than others.
2. Independence - Don’t be independent.
3. Invest - Invest into people. Pray for them.
4. Initiate - Initiate unity (Eph 1:1-3). Do everything to preserve the unity of the brethren.

Have a great week! Be willing to step it up and pray for somebody. Encourage one another and say good things to others.