It is amazing as I write this, that tomorrow All Saints Anglican Church in Amersfoort, has its first anniversary as a church. As a new church, its first Sunday service was on the Sunday before Christmas – 20th December 2015. And here we are, twelve months later.
I am thankful for God’s provision, for his faithfulness, his guidance and his blessing to us as a church. We can see that the Lord’s plan has been to establish a new part of his Body in Amersfoort, joining the existing Body of Christ here in this city.
I am thankful for the leadership team – TACA – for all their work, wisdom and support. Thankful for the many people involved in our different areas of service and ministry: from our music group and organists, our Sunday School and creche workers, those serving tea and coffee in our post service refreshments, our stewards and welcomers, our bible readers, our intercessors, the coordinators of our monthly Big Brunch, and for all who contribute, give financially, time, gifts, skills, experience towards our church of All Saints.
I am very thankful.
Our Bible readings for tomorrow – Isaiah 7,v10-16 and Matthew 1:v18 – 25, both have the theme of birthday of course. Isaiah prophesies about the birthday of a child, which will mean salvation for Judah. He says the day of that child’s birth, a child to be called Immanuel, reminds them that God is with them and has not abandoned them, and ghe will save them. And Matthew 1, the prophecy fulfilled totally in the child to be born – that on the day of that child’s birth, it will mean salvation has come, in a person, that the child will be called Immanuel because truly the God up there, has become the God down here. The child to be called Jesus.
We celebrate our birthday as a church, on a Sunday when we celebrate the prophesised and then historical event of the birth of our Saviour.
Revd Grant Crowe