2020 has well and truly 'kicked off' and each of us has had to face the realities of our lives. For some, it's new beginnings: school or university or a job. For others, it's an ending: the loss of a loved one, a job, a home or a close friendship. Then, of course, there are the 'common enemies': the struggling economy, load shedding, the heat of February and the state of our world. Although it's only March I feel that I have already experienced so much. It has already been an incredible, difficult, wonderful, happy, hard, easy, scary and joyous year! But, I have also experienced something else, something that is making me really excited and confident about this year. It has been the constant and comforting presence of Jesus the Christ. Jesus showing himself to me as we celebrated Transformation Day together, Christ showing himself to me in my regular Life Transforming Conversations (LTCs) with brothers in Christ as they share hope and wisdom with me. In the next two months, we are going to be focusing on not simply experiencing and celebrating the presence of Jesus, but on sharing it with others. What a joyful responsibility it is to tell a lost and hurting world that there is hope and that hope is in Jesus Christ. As we celebrate Easter, as we ask God to give us a passion for evangelism, as we invite people to Alpha... Let us constantly remind ourselves and others that we live in a world that MUST be transformed by the glorious love of Jesus Christ, a love we both give and receive. As the Apostle Paul reminds us,
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good." (Romans 12:9)
Note from our Senior Pastor - John Benn