04 May 2025
Over the next few weeks we are revisiting the St Peter’s mission statement that states that St Peter’s Vision is to see the town of Shipley changed by the power of God. That we want to see this happen through a Church which is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and committed to the Word of God. That serves others in order to bring God’s Kingdom.
We want St Peter’s to become a key ‘transforming community’ bringing about this change, as a church alive with the joy of knowing and worshipping Jesus Christ. In other words we want to be: Following Jesus – Making disciples – Serving Others. What a wonderful vision.
As we reflect on this over the coming weeks, I wanted to also share with you some words of encouragement for us all. “Who is she (the church) that looks forth at the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, awesome as an army with banners?” (Song of songs 6:10) We are to stand out, we are to be a community that praises God and knows who He is. We are to be awesome – and we are. We need to have the confidence and faith in the God who loves us and desires the best for us. We are to share this love in different ways so that we can transform our community, bringing God’s kingdom here on earth.
Rev Natasha Thomas
11 May 2025
What does it mean I wonder to you, to serve others? For some it might mean taking someone a cup of tea, or doing their shopping. For others it might mean buying a Big Issue or a coffee forsomeone who is down on their luck. For others it might mean giving to a charity, or inviting someone round for tea or volunteering for CAP or the food bank…
When we look at the example of Jesus and how he served the world, there was also the consequence on the one hand of healing and teaching but on the other it seemed at times to make Him unpopular, or at least it made others uncomfortable. Which is not something I often associate with service. I might think it is hard work, a commitment…but not something tha tmight affect my social standing, or the way my peers regard me.
Jesus’ ministry was to bring God’s love into the world and to highlight areas where sin had gone deep and where things needed changes and repentance was needed. Those areas were often the way that structures had developed systems that excluded people from ever finding God’s love. So He spoke about injustice, about the need to have mercy on those who due to circumstances beyond their control needed support, love and care. It was to people who were excluded from the temple, it was to the prostitutes, it was to the lepers and the lame, the tax collectors. He told those listening that if we are to be His disciples then we are to serve by denying “himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.(Matthew 16: 24-26).
This is a tough calling. Our lives are actually no longer about doing just what we want but about serving God, following Jesus’ example. All because we know a God who has given His all, and so we respond to His calling toserve Him. To serve him is to serve others. To love others, because He loved us first.
Question to ask yourself: How do you serve? Who do you serve? Is God asking you to stretch yourself and risk serving in a different way? If you want some ideas come to the Serving Others meeting on Tuesday 13th May at 7pm in the Hope Chapel.
Rev Natasha Thomas
18 May 2025
This week is our APCM – a time to look back at and reflect on all that God has been doing in our lives. It has been brilliant doing the annual report and hearing from those who lead specific areas of work on our behalf. A massive thank you to everyone who does this. And there is so much to be thankful for, in seeing how God is moving in people’s lives and providing opportunities for us to ‘Follow Jesus – Make disciples – Serve others’.
I always wonder why people find annual meetings boring! because they are a time for us to hear what God has been doing and thank him for our blessings, just read Psalm 150 and praise God, because He is good. For me, this being my first St Peter’s APCM, I can see how there are shoots of growth and opportunities for us to share God’s love.
Even within my first month we welcomed Kingdom Wrestling into church, which has put us on the map internationally – having done interviews with Japanese, French, German, Italian, Swedish TV, News at 5, Look North, Songs of Praise, Good Morning Britain and Radio 2! People citing us as being courageous in looking to new ways of making doing church. So we are now known as Wrestling Church…but we also have Messy Church and very recently have Forest Church.
This has made me think more about what we mean by church – I am sure most of us would agree, that church is about relationships and people, more than the building or a particular service on Sunday. Church is a place where we belong to, and a place that over time has become precious and a place which the theologian Paula Gooder has described as a ‘Thin Place’ a place to commune with God and honour Him that has beenworshipped in and prayed in for years. A place where we gather as His family to learn about Him, and to praise Him. The Church building is therefore significant and needs tobe honoured. But…we also need to remember that it isn’t the only place God wants corporate praise. Church can take place on a Monday or a Saturday night, it can happen in a home, in nature, in a cafe!
So perhaps as we look forward to the coming year of what St Peter’s church can offer – opportunities to our neighbours and community to worship God, we might be offering Church in different ways. We will be offering Sunday Church; Messy Church; Wrestling Church; Forest Church…and who knows what else God has in mind! Let’s keep praying and keep growing – noticing the way that God is blessing us and our community. His kingdom is coming. Praise the Lord.
Rev Natasha Thomas
25 May 2025
Sometimes, we make the best plans and then for one reason or another they fall apart! Or perhaps do not go the way you anticipated. It can feel disappointing, it can feel frustrating. It can also be devastating. Moments may feel to have been missed, a once in a life time opportunity gone…
God wants to guide us to have the best life, and therefore when we trust Him, we may find we are led to surprising places. Unexpected places, that may initially feel like a disappointment but actually turn out to be a blessing. There are so many examples in the Bible of people who perhaps would not have chosen their journey, but find that inhonouring and loving God they become the great leaders – consider Moses who was an incredibly reluctant leader who became responsible for leading the Israeli people for 40 years in the desert. Or look at Paul who found himself sailing to Philippi when he had wanted to go to Asia only to encounter a group of women, instead of an established Jewish temple of believers…yet, it was through this encounter with Lydia who helped spread the gospel throughout Europe.
We need to regularly stop and pause. Reflect on what it is that is driving us forward, whether it is our personal desire to try and control things or whether we are trusting in God to be our provider and sustainer and so when things go out of line or pear-shaped, we don’t feel too stressed by it, because we know that God will help us to cope, to find peace and to find His way. So as we look forward to the coming year, let us do so in anticipation and hope, that our Lord will lead us to greater discovery of his Kingdom here on earth.
Rev Natasha Thomas
