Dear Friends,

The dream is over! The hope and joy has gone again! Maybe that is how you felt when England were knocked out of the European Championships of football or when Tim Henman suffered another defeat at Wimbledon. Both the England football team and Tim Henman gave us hope that this might be the tournament where our hopes of winning it all would be fulfilled. Both made it to the quarterfinals yet sadly to all their fans it would end in the disappointment of defeat. The hope of winning it all has been extinguished once again – well at least until the next tournament!

One of the joys of the football was seeing the wave of support as people had flags flying from their windows and cars cheering on their team both in England and in the other countries taking part. It was also a joy too to see the many thousands of fans from countries such as Czech Republic and Russia with the freedom to cheer on their team when just 15 years ago communist oppression would have prevented them doing this. For those fans the hope of freedom at one time thought impossible is now very much a reality for them to find much joy in.

All of us need hope and joy in our lives. Life brings to us all sorts of events and experiences and it is hope for what lies ahead that keeps us going. For Christians, we have a never-ending hope in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. There is joy that we know whatever life may bring our God is always with us. He will see us through every event and experience and that if we put our hope in Jesus, we will all be the real winners! For the prize awaiting, all who do this is the Presence of God now and always and the promise of a life in Heaven, where there is no more disappointment and joy is forever! That is the best hope of all!

May God bless you,

Paul Wood
Captain