I am sure you are all aware of how concerned I am that we pursue true unity with our brothers and sisters in other churches in Gloucester.

Over the last few months I have had very productive meetings with the ministers from Elim Gloucester, Community Church, Robinswood and Kendal Road. One of the results of these meetings is that during the first full week of January 2010 (4^th – 8^th Jan 2010) we are going to take part in a prayer initiative together with the churches I have just mentioned.

It is our intention to go out on the road visiting the various churches during the week, joining together in praying for the city and for the needs and opportunities facing each church etc.

On Monday 4^th we will go to Kendal Road Baptist

On Tuesday 5^th we will go to Elim (Parkend Road)

On Wednesday 6^th everyone will come to us

On Thursday 7^th we will go to Community Church (Stroud Road)

On Friday 8^th we will go to Robinswood.

The format will be rather like a prayer concert and the meetings will be for 1 hour. I feel this is going to be a great way to start the year.

Let me draw your attention to a message I preached during our series in Ephesians (available through the podcast):

In Ephesians chapter 4, Paul shows us how to lead a life worthy of our calling by "maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love." Let me remind you that unity is ours by virtue of our shared experience of the Spirit and is maintained only as the Spirit also produces the virtues for it.

Unity is not some mystical utopia that one day we might enjoy. Rather, Paul is talking about something that already exists whether we like it or not. We already belong to Christ, and the Spirit has made us members of one body both universally and locally.

Ephesians 2:13–16: - But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances that he might create in himself a new man in place of two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. 

Let us approach the beginning of next year with a true spirit of unity by giving ourselves to these meetings.