Dear Friends,

This month has seen the Prime Minister decide to step down from office on the 27 June.  After ten years in charge, political commentators have asked what is the legacy that Tony Blair will leave? As always, there have been people who are quick to point out what they see as
mistakes and failings of the Prime Minister’s ten years in office.  They are very unwilling to say anything positive or express a word of thanks for his leadership of the UK.  

In his book, A Resilient Life, Gordon MacDonald writes about the time when Jesus healed ten men who had leprosy but only one of them came back to say thank you to Jesus.  (see Luke 17:11-19) Macdonald suggests that “thankfulness is a learned transaction.”   It would seem true as at times criticism comes quite easily to our human natures whilst being thankful to others is not something that always comes as naturally.

On occasion people have said to Louise and I that others do not
appreciate what they do.  Sometimes we respond by asking, ‘when was the last time you thanked someone else for what they did?’ to which silence is often the response!  To receive thanks, we need to express our thanks and gratitude to others.   After all, as Christians, we are filled with a life long gratitude in our hearts to Jesus for all that He has done and is for us, are we not?  Let us remember the words of Jesus when He said, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you”  (Matthew 7:12)

This month as a church we will do just that by holding a Charity Shop Volunteer Appreciation Sunday for all the wonderful people who
support The Salvation Army by helping in the Care and Share Charity Shop.  We want to take the opportunity as a church to express our
gratitude to the Shop volunteers. 

There is enough criticism about all that is wrong in our world at times.  Let us all seek to go against the grain by having a thankful nature in our lives, to express our gratitude and acknowledgement to those who help and support us both personally and as a church.  Above all, let us
always thank God for His great love for us.  

May God bless you. 

Paul Wood
Captain