It’s been a while since we posted and you may have been wondering what’s going on. Well, we have continued to meet in a more informal manner with a sharing / soaking night on the 11^th December and a social on the 18^th December which was our last meeting before we had our Christmas Break. We kicked off again on the 8^th of January where we had a catch up and worshiped together. This was followed by a vision evening on the 15^th January where we shared what we felt our Lord was saying to us for this coming year, along with a talk based around the song “Honey in the Rock”  – 

There’s Honey in the rock; Water in the stone; Manna on the ground; No matter where I go; I don’t need to worry; Now that I know; Everything I need You’ve got.

Praying for a miracle; Thirsty for the living well; Only You can satisfy

Sweetness at the mercy seat; Now I’ve tasted, it’s not hard to see; Only You can satisfy

With this in our minds we were encouraged to ask the Lord for a word, picture or vision for this new year and then to journal how that pans out.

This week we started our series on Relationships with the first session being on “LOVE” I.e. What love is….

Cor 13: 4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

We looked at how the antient Greek philosophy differentiated love into different types:  Eros (sexual passion); Agape (love for everyone); Philia (deep friendship); Ludus (playful love); Pragma (longstanding love); Philautia (love of the self); Storge (family love); Mania (obsessive love). 

We then looked at the What the Hebrews say: Ahava / Ahab – It is the word Hebrew speakers use most often today to say they love someone or something. Which can express both a romantic kind of love, as well as your favourite drink: Hesed – steadfast love, mercy, lovingkindness, and goodness, The Hebrew word hesed points to a loyal type of love, a covenantal love; Rachamim – compassionate, caring, devoted type of love; Dod – Beloved (also can mean uncle)

We then had a look at what Wikipedia and the dictionary says, followed by a few quotes from famous people, our favourite being: Martin Luther King Jr. – “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”

This was followed by the five love languages:  Words of Affirmation; Quality Time; Receiving Gifts; Acts of Service; Physical Touch with each being unpacked in turn.

We finished this by pointing everyone in the direction of our great high priest Jesus and the gospels where His life portrays the perfect example of love lived out. We challenged everyone to read the gospels and let us know if they disagreed. 

The Greatest act of LOVE

John 15:13 – Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends

Cor 13: 4-7 Jesus is patient, Jesus is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He does not dishonour others, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. Jesus does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Jesus always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Thank you, Jesus, for another great night at Hope Central, You will build Your church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it…

Our Mission (Isaiah 61)

To proclaim good news to the poor. 

To bind up the broken hearted,

To proclaim freedom for the captives and release them from darkness, 

To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,

To comfort all who mourn,  

To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. 

Thank you Taste & See for your continuing prayer support please continue to do so it is vital

Our declarations – This is the generation of those that seek him, that seek your face, O God of Jacob (Psalm 24v6)

A generation with clean hands and a pure heart

A generation with baptised with fire

A generation who pursues and loves Jesus

A generation with a simple but powerful faith

A revival generation 

Can you hear those dry bones rattling as God rebuilds his temple in us and through us….