“In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. … When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. … So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.” (Ruth 1:1-2, 6, 22, NIV)
In the four weeks of Advent, we’re going to be looking at the four chapters of the book of Ruth. It’s a short book, but one that tells us of love and healing, of God’s promises and care for his people, and of the promise of a rescuer. Ruth also ends with a baby being born in Bethlehem!
I hope that you’ll be able to join us online on Sunday, as we look at the first chapter of Ruth together. Why not spend some time reading the whole of Ruth before we look at it as a church family.
I hope that these prayers are useful, and that you are able to spend a few minutes at noon each day, as we pray together as a church family. Please do keep sending your prayer suggestions to me, so that we can make sure we are praying around the needs, burdens and encouragements of our whole church family.
“When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, ‘Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!’ ‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’” (Mark 11:7-10, NIV)
This feels like it’s going to be the high point in Mark’s gospel. Mark has spent all of the book so far convincing his readers that Jesus is God’s chosen king. Now Jesus enters the capital city, Jerusalem, and is greeted like a king. Is this the happy ending? We know that it’s not, but it is a moment where we see a glimpse of Jesus as the king of everything. I hope that you’ll be able to join us online at 10:30am for our Sunday morning service.
Virtual Coffee Shop
This Wednesday, at 10:30, we'll be having our regular Virtual Coffee Shop, if you can join us for that, it would be great to see you.
I hope that these prayers are useful, and that you are able to spend a few minutes at noon each day, as we pray together as a church family. Please do keep sending your prayer suggestions to me, so that we can make sure we are praying around the needs, burdens and encouragements of our whole church family. This week, we have also added readings covering Mark chapters 1-10, and, on Saturday, the reading for Sunday morning (Mark 11:1-11).