This New Year love, promised love. What will 2015 hold? A General Election in May: It is new every morning possibly the hardest to predict because our need of it is new for a very long time. Wars and every morning, and because rumours of wars. Lovely he continues to remake, heartwarming stories. renew, all things. Dreadful heartrending Enjoy him this year. Every tragedies. day. His reliability, his New Year resolutions? Not acceptance, his forgiveness, usually my thing, but can be his commitment, his promise. good if they work for you. Wherever you are, whatever But a fresh start is always your situation, whatever is possible with Jesus, and going on inside or outside. that’s no bad thing. Enjoy his love. New Year hopes? It’s wonderful to have a glass Greetings in Christ, half-full (or more), but they can let you down. +Donald Is there really anything new Permission to Change under the sun? What can we Four speakers with one rely on that is really new? message amplified in four The only answer is different ways: if you want to God’s grow, you have to change, for love. “New every morning,” says the growth is change. prophet. “Look, I am says making everything new” That was the theme of the the risen Christ. triennial diocesan ministers’ And that really means that we conference in November, can experience him new, where 180 clergy and 120 afresh, every single day, licensed lay ministers whatever the circumstances. gathered for four days at The Hayes Conference Centre in Not just at the New Year, or Derbyshire. on a birthday or anniversary. Every day. “I don’t believe God wants us just to exist, he wants us to be new-every-morning God’s fully alive,” declared Robert love is his chesed (Hebrew Atwell, the Bishop of Exeter, word, two syllables, che-sed). be adding “we should not Steadfast love, accepting about the love of power [in our love, forgiving love, covenant
This New Year What will 2015 hold? A General Election in May: possibly the hardest to predict for a very long time. Wars and rumours of wars. Lovely heartwarming stories. Dreadful heartrending tragedies. New Year resolutions? Not usually my thing, but can be good if they work for you. But a fresh start is always possible with Jesus, and that’s no bad thing. New Year hopes? It’s wonderful to have a glass half-full (or more), but they can let you down. Is there really anything new under the sun? What can we rely on that is really new? The only answer is God’s love. “New every morning,” says the prophet. “Look, I am making everything new” says the risen Christ. And that really means that we can experience him new, afresh, every single day, whatever the circumstances. Not just at the New Year, or on a birthday or anniversary. Every day. God’s new-every-morning love is his chesed (Hebrew word, two syllables, che-sed). Steadfast love, accepting love, forgiving love, covenant love, promised love. It is new every morning because our need of it is new every morning, and because he continues to remake, renew, all things. Enjoy him this year. Every day. His reliability, his acceptance, his forgiveness, his commitment, his promise. Wherever you are, whatever your situation, whatever is going on inside or outside. Enjoy his love. Greetings in Christ, +Donald Permission to Change Four speakers with one message amplified in four different ways: if you want to grow, you have to change, for growth is change. That was the theme of the triennial diocesan ministers’ conference in November, where 180 clergy and 120 licensed lay ministers gathered for four days at The Hayes Conference Centre in Derbyshire. “I don’t believe God wants us just to exist, he wants us to be fully alive,” declared Robert Atwell, the Bishop of Exeter, adding “we should not be about the love of power [in our