Live, Laugh, Love

1st reading – Col. ch.1 v.3 – 8

We always thank God, the

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

when we pray for you, because:

we have heard of your faith in

Christ Jesus

and of the love you have for all

the saints

the faith and love that spring

from the hope that is stored up

for you in heaven

(Hope) that you have already

heard about in the word of truth,

the gospel that has come to you.

this gospel is bearing fruit and

growing -- among you since the

day you heard it and understood

God’s grace in all its truth.

You learned it from Epaphras, our

dear fellow-servant who is a

faithful minister of Christ on our

behalf, and who also told us of

your love in the Spirit.

Ch.4 v.12 - who is one of you and a

servant of Christ Jesus, sends

greetings. He is always wrestling

in prayer for you, that you may

stand firm in all the will of God,

mature and fully assured.

Paul’s prayer – v.9 – 12

For this reason, since the day

we heard about you, we have

not stopped praying for you:

Asking God to fill you with the

knowledge of his will through

all spiritual wisdom and

understanding.

We pray this in order that you

may live a life worthy of the Lord

and may please him in every way;

bearing fruit in every good work,

growing in the knowledge of God,

joyfully giving thanks to the

Father, who has qualified you to

share in the inheritance of the

saints in the kingdom of light.

Ch.4 v.13 I vouch for Epaphras that

he is working hard for you and for

those of Laodicea and Hierapolis.

v.15 Give my greetings to the

brothers at Laodicea, and to

Nympha and the church in her

house.

v.16 After this letter has been

read to you, see that it is read in

the church of the Laodiceans

Rev.ch.3 v.14 – 22 To the angel of

the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen,

the faithful and true witness, the

ruler of God’s creation.

I know your deeds, that you are

neither cold nor hot. I wish you

were either one or the other! So

because you are lukewarm –

neither hot nor cold – I am about

to spit you out of my mouth.

You say, ‘I am rich; I have

acquired wealth and do not need

a thing.’ But you do not realise

that you are wretched, pitiful,

poor, blind and naked. I counsel

you to buy from me gold refined in

the fire, so that you can become

rich and white clothes to wear so

that you can cover your shameful

nakedness, and salve to put on

your eyes, so that you can see.

Those whom I love I rebuke and

discipline. So be earnest, and

repent.

Here I am! I stand at the door

and knock. If anyone hears my

voice and opens the door, I will

come in and eat with him, and he

with me.

To him who overcomes, I will

give the right to sit with me on

my throne, just as I overcame

and sat down with my Father

on his throne. He who has an

ear, let him hear what the Spirit

says to the churches.”

A church notice:

Come to a service which will

please you.

We pray this in order that you

may live a life worthy of the Lord

and may please him in every way;

Epaphras’s prayer - That you may

stand firm in all the will of God,

mature and fully assured.

Live every moment

Matt.6 v.34 Therefore do not worry

about tomorrow, for tomorrow

will worry about itself. Each day

has enough trouble of its own.

Laugh every day

Rom.15 v.13 May the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace as

you trust in him, so that you may

overflow with hope by the power

of the Holy Spirit

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy,

It does not boast,

It is not proud.

It is not rude,

It is not self-seeking,

It is not easily angered,

It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love beyond words

Love does not delight in evil

but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always

trusts, always hopes, always

perseveres.

These three remain: faith, hope

and love. But the greatest of

these is love.

Our vision for the Future

Gifts available for Action

Commitment and Involvement

Serving together, a Team

Going forward in Hope

Heb.10 v.35/36 So do not throw away

your confidence, it will be richly

rewarded. You need to persevere

so that when you have done the

will of God, you will receive what

he had promised.

Heb.10 v.38 “But my righteous one

will live by faith.

And if he shrinks back, I will not

be pleased with him.”

G.F.E.C

Eph.4 v.15/16 Speaking the truth

in love, we will in all things grow

up into him who is the Head, that

is Christ. From him the whole

body, joined and held together by

every supporting ligament,

grows and builds itself up in

love, as each part does its work.