Christ Church Warminster

Today's reflection from Ellel Minisries felt prompted to share.

Don’t Hide Your Scars

Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve but believe.”
John 20:27, ESV

I have to admit that if I hear someone teaching about enduring hardship or suffering or dealing with anger or rejection, I sometimes long to hear them share something of their own personal experience of how the Lord helped them overcome these or similar issues. It helps me to know that, however good a speaker they are, they’re not just speaking from head knowledge, but have experienced the truth they are teaching.

If I heard a married man preaching from the pulpit that he and his wife had never had a disagreement in their decades of marriage, I wouldn’t want to go to him to share any struggles I might be having in my marriage. Before I take the risk of baring my wounds to someone, it helps me to know that they too have scars where they were once wounded, scars that speak hope to me that the God who brought them through will do the same for me.

For quite a while in my early Christian journey I was always trying to find another Christian to hear my frequent struggles and pray with me. Somehow I thought their prayers were more effective than mine. Looking back though, I realise that there were many times when the Lord arranged for there to be no-one available to pray with me, because He wanted me to know that He was right there with me, always ready to listen and help me.

Jesus truly is the One who understands our every weakness and problem perfectly, because He has experienced fully what it is to be human and live in our broken world. He never sinned, but He knows what it is like to be rejected, misunderstood, judged, mocked and ultimately to die as an innocent sacrifice in the place of us all on the cross. He carried His scars back to heaven, where He reigns now at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. Just as He invited Thomas to see those scars after His resurrection, He invites us now to behold them by faith, and to see how they show His complete understanding of our humanity, so He can speak forgiveness and healing to our wounded hearts.

I have always loved some words from the song, ‘I am loved’ by Bill and Gloria Gaither: ‘I said, “if You knew, You wouldn’t want me. My scars are hidden by the face I wear”. He said, “My child, My scars go deeper. It was love for you that put them there”.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I choose to no longer hide my wounds in shame. As I come to You to be healed, may any scars that remain in my life from those wounds testify to others of Your grace, which also reaches out to them. Amen.

17/06/2021

He knows and he loves ❤

05/06/2021

6th June 2021 | I’ve got a job for YOU | Varieties of gifts - varieties of service

Please join us as we begin our series on “I’ve got a job for YOU”; this week looking at “Varieties of gifts - varieties of service”. Afterwards, if you have watched live, grab a coffee and join us for a chat on Zoom using the following link;
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86498550396?pwd=d1ZKeFU2YWgzTVZ5WDJNSUplL1J1UT09

The service this week is led by Caroline Spindlow, Allen Edwards & Si Pope, with prayers from Elle Pope, reading with Roy Trott and Richard Church bringing us the message.

Thanks also to our Christ Church band for the sung worship today.

The stream will begin at 10:30, with a countdown – please do join in the worship.

Reading;
Romans 12:1-12

Songs;
pre songs – Graves into Gardens, This is Amazing Grace
How Great Thou Art - Stuart Wesley, Keene Hine
Psalm 23 - Stuart Townend
I Will Offer Up My Life- Matt Redman

Additional background music from https://www.purple-planet.com/ and https://www.bensound.com/

29/05/2021

Identity | Who Do You Think You Are? | I Am

Please join us as we continue our series on Identity; this week looking at ‘I Am’. Afterwards, if you have watched live, grab a coffee and join us for a chat on Zoom using the following link;
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87493833392?pwd=UitRd1BKT2lLWmJGOXU5WWx3azA4dz09

The service this week is led by Caroline Spindlow, Allen Edwards & Si Pope, with prayers from Eva Burton, readings with Gill Cross and Chris Nolan bringing us the message.

Thanks also to our Christ Church band for the sung worship today.
The stream will begin at 10:30, with a countdown – please do join in the worship.

Readings;
John 16:4-15 & Ephesians 1:3-14

Songs;
pre songs – Cannons, Amazing Grace, Trust In You
Be Thou My Vision - Eleanor Henrietta Hull, Mary Elizabeth Byrne, Russell Mauldin
My Lighthouse - Chris Llewellyn, Gareth Gilkeson
Build Your Kingdom Here - Chris Llewellyn, Gareth Gilkeson, William Herron

Additional background music from https://www.purple-planet.com/ and https://www.bensound.com/

15/05/2021

Identity | Who Do You Think You Are? | I Know Exactly Who I Am: Paul

Please join us as we continue our series on Identity; this week looking at Paul ‘I Know Exactly Who I Am’. Afterwards, if you have watched live, grab a coffee and join us for a chat on Zoom using the following link;
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3317722359

The service this week is led by Caroline Spindlow, Allen Edwards & Si Pope, with prayers from Mo Cheesman, a reading with Margaret Manning and Jan Billinge bringing us the message.

Thanks also to our Christ Church band for the sung worship today.

The stream will begin at 10:30, with a countdown – please do join in the worship.

Reading;
Philippians 3
Songs;
pre songs – Be Thou My Vision, Way Maker, King of Kings.
Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me - Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, Rich Thompson
Graves Into Gardens - Brandon Lake, Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Tiffany Hudson
Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Thomas Obediah, Chisholm William, Marion Runyan

Additional background music from https://www.purple-planet.com/ and https://www.bensound.com/

08/05/2021

Identity | Who Do You Think You Are? | I Know Who I Am, Who Are You?: Peter

Please join us as we continue our series on Identity; this week looking at ‘I Know Who I Am, Who Are You?: Peter’. Afterwards, if you have watched live, grab a coffee and join us for a chat on Zoom using the following link;

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83490035058?pwd=QXM0Zm9EaWsyQThNaEdXOC9NTFVJZz09

The service this week is led by Lorraine Dobbins & Si Pope, with prayers from Ben Cooke, a reading with Anne Sutheran and Caroline Spindlow bringing us the message.

Thanks also to our Christ Church band for the sung worship today.
The stream will begin at 10:30, with a countdown – please do join in the worship.

Reading;
John 13:1-17

Songs;
pre songs – Be Still For The Presence, Come as You Are, Every Giant Will Fall.
10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) - Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman
At The Name Of Jesus - Caroline Maria Noel, Michael Brierley
How Great Is Our God - Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Jesse Reeves

01/05/2021

Who do you think you are? | I thought I knew who I was! | David you are the man
Please join us in our worship together and as we continue our Sermon Series ‘Who do you think you are’. Afterwards, if you have watched live, grab a coffee and join us for a chat on Zoom using the following link;
The service this week is led by Lorraine Dobbins, with prayers from Janet Papworth, a reading with Linda Smith and Si Pope bringing us the message.
Thanks also to the Christ Church Worship Team for arranging the sung worship today.
The stream will begin at 10:30, with a countdown – feel free to join in the worship.
Readings; Psalm 139

Songs;
pre songs –Beauty for Brokenness, Who you Say I am, I say,
Love Divine (Charles Wesley), Be still for the presence (David J Evans) 10,000 Reasons (Matt Redman)
Music also from BenSound.

24/04/2021

Identity | Who Do You Think You Are? | Moses: The Nowhere Man

Please join us as we continue our series on Identity; this week looking at ‘Moses: The Nowhere Man’. Afterwards, if you have watched live, grab a coffee and join us for a chat on Zoom using the following link;
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89177091564?pwd=ck5Od1BNM0YrczlwSjFYYi9sUkFEUT09

The service this week is led by Caroline Spindlow, Lorraine Dobbins & Si Pope, with prayers from Joe Stone, a reading with Martin Papworth and Mo Cheesman bringing us the message.

Thanks also to our Christ Church band for the sung worship today.
The stream will begin at 10:30, with a countdown – please do join in the worship.

Reading;
Exodus 3:1-14
Songs;
pre songs – You Say, I Am statements, All the people said Amen
Psalm 23 (Stuart Townend)
How Deep The Fathers Love (Stuart Townend)
Who You Say I Am (Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan)

Additional background music from https://www.purple-planet.com/ and https://www.bensound.com/

17/04/2021

Identity | Who Do You Think You Are? | Hagar: The Invisible Woman

Please join us as we continue our new series on Identity; this week looking at ‘Hagar: The Invisible Woman’. Afterwards, if you have watched live, grab a coffee and join us for a chat on Zoom using the following link;
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89177091564?pwd=ck5Od1BNM0YrczlwSjFYYi9sUkFEUT09

The service this week is led by Lorraine Dobbins & Si Pope, with prayers from Elle Pope, a reading with Roy Trott and Jan Billinge bringing us the message.

Thanks also to our Christ Church band for the sung worship today.

The stream will begin at 10:30, with a countdown – please do join in the worship.

Reading;
Genesis 16
Songs;
pre songs – O love that wilt that not let me go, In Christ Alone, My Lighthouse
You Say (Jason Ingram, Lauren Daigle, Paul Mabury)
No Longer Slaves (Brian Johnson, Joel Case, Jonathan David Helser)
Happy Day (Ben Cantelon, Tim Hughes)

Additional background music from https://www.purple-planet.com/ and https://www.bensound.com/

13/04/2021

Here is a short video with the I Am statements Loraine shared with us this Sunday.
https://youtu.be/H1buKOxue54

Do spend some time reflecting on them and let us know which you find particularly useful right now.

Also available in a single document here; https://cutt.ly/bveWA9m

Identity - I Am Statements Here are the I AM statements shared with us this Sunday at the beginning of our Identity series.Do spend some time reflecting on them and let us know which y...

10/04/2021

11th April | Identity | Who Do You Think You Are?

Please join us as we kick start our new series on Identity; this week looking at ‘Who do you think you are’. Afterwards, if you have watched live, grab a coffee and join us for a chat on Zoom using the following link;
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89623635356?pwd=M1ZkVkpjSDhrWW5ydXVhV0JpaXkrUT09

The service this week is led by Si Pope, Caroline Spindlow & Allen Edwards, with prayers from Eva Burton, a reading with Gill Cross and Lorraine Dobbins bringing us the message.

Thanks also to our Christ Church band for the sung worship today.

The stream will begin at 10:30, with a countdown – please do join in the worship.

Reading;
Matthew 3:13-4:11

Songs;
pre songs – I will offer up my life, Be though my vision, This is amazing grace
O Praise The Name - Anástasis (Benjamin Hastings, Dean Ussher, Marty Sampson)
I Will Sing Your Praises (Ian Smale)
What A Beautiful Name (Ben Fielding, Brooke Ligertwood)

Additional background music from https://www.purple-planet.com/ and https://www.bensound.com/