O perfect love – 61 years on

On 21 August we held our "Songs of Praise" in the summertime for the first time, wondering what the support would be. In fact, we had the best turnout yet, 47 people, perhaps encouraged by the magnificent spread of cakes at the tea beforehand – so very many thanks to those who had provided these.

Among the nine magnificent hymns and songs that we sang, one was very special to Alf and June, two members of the congregation. The hymn was "O perfect love" and they had sung it at their wedding, 61 years ago this week.

The author of this hymn, Dorothy Gurney, is known to have written only this hymn. However she was a poet and is well-known for the quotation "One is nearer God’s heart in a garden than anywhere on earth" which comes from her poem "God's garden." When her sister was getting married the family was singing favourite hymns and regretted that the words to the bride's favourite, with the tune "Strength and Stay," were not suitable for a wedding. Could Dorothy write something? In five minutes she was back with these words. As has happened with many of the best hymns, she claimed to have sensed God's inspiration. Ironically, the tune now used is a different one – by Sir Joseph Barnby.

The hymn speaks of God’s perfect love and prays that, as the couple approach God, they may know his love and share it in their homes, whatever life may bring.

O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,

Lowly we kneel in prayer before Thy throne,

That theirs may be the love which knows no ending,

Whom Thou forevermore dost join in one.

O perfect Life, be Thou their full assurance,

Of tender charity and steadfast faith,

Of patient hope and quiet, brave endurance,

With childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death.

Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;

Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,

And to life’s day the glorious unknown morrow

That dawns upon eternal love and life.

Hear us, O Father, gracious and forgiving,

Through Jesus Christ, Thy coeternal Word,

Who, with the Holy Ghost, by all things living

Now and to endless ages art adored.

The miracles of Jesus – signs of love and power

In the morning services at St Paul's this month, we are looking at five of Jesus' miracles. What lies behind them? Why did Jesus bother do them? What was their significance?

On 7 August, in a sermon entitled "All you can Eat" we considered Jesus feeding the crowd of more than 5000. This was the background to Jesus' statement "I am the bread of life" and we considered how he nourishes us spiritually day by day.

Next week, 14 August, "Imaginative Faith" considered Jesus stilling of the storm raging on Lake Galilee. Following that, Peter's faith was so raised that he could imagine himself obeying Jesus invitation to come and walk with him on the water. However, that walk didn't last long before Peter’s faith dipped and he slipped below the waves. But Jesus was quick to restore him – as he does us.

And this week, on 21 August we considered Jesus healing of the blind man in John's gospel chapter 9 under the title "I see what you mean" we considered the wonder of sight and all that this man was missing. But as Jesus went on to say "I am the light of the world" we saw that his ability to heal physical blindness enabled him to claim a right to heal spiritual blindness. And the challenge to us is to now see the world in the same way that Christ sees it.

To read the transcripts of his sermons, click the photo, or here.

Worshipping Greed - Cause and Effect?

So, the wave of rioting and looting spreading across the country reached Leicester last night, with gangs rampaging through Gallowtree Gate and with the window of Jacobs, the camera shop stove in and the stock stolen.

The television studios are full of people being asked the question "why?" One answer, which seemed to make sense was the way that people have been encouraged to worship greed for the last 20 years – greed dressed up in the names of consumerism, acquisitiveness and market economics. This idea of what constitutes “worth” can only be more distressing in the face of poverty, unemployment and deprivation. We have seen the consequences of greed in the City finance houses. Are we now seeing it on our High Streets?

But at the same time as the rise of the worship of greed, the worship of God has been decreasing dramatically. God is a God of love but he's also a God of standards. Those who love him will want to follow his standards – which puts an absolute no! no! to robbery and burning people’s houses. But recognition of God as authority is a position that people have turned away from – encouraged by intellectual middle-class atheists. Now we are reaping the consequences.

Jesus himself compared the worship of God and the worship of Money and declared that one had to be your priority. You cannot serve both.

Sadly, are we seeing the consequences of a society that has chosen money – greed.