Core Value #6 Partnership
On Sunday Ben talked about our last core value: partnership. The bible reading was Exodus 4: 10 – 19. You can download the mp3 here or listen to the talk below.
Ben Askew
Core Values #5 Growth
On Sunday 21st June, Ben spoke on our 5th Value: Growth.
The reading was Matthew 13: 31-33. You can download the talk as an mp3 or listen below.
Ben talked about different seasons of pruning and fruitfulness in our lives, he prepared a handout that explores this a little more. You can find that here.
Kairos values #4 purpose
On Sunday 3rd May, we read Genesis 1:27-31 and Ben spoke to us about purpose. God loves you so your life has purpose and meaning; you are important and you can make a difference wherever you are. You can listen here or using the player below.
How is God leading you to make your life count in this season? How far does your life feel caught up in the great themes of God’s story? How might you live with more purpose over the next few months?
Enjoy a little bit of music from Ezra Collective playing in the background towards the end of the talk.
Jesus is alive!
On Easter Sunday we gathered to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Thanks to Debs for our beautiful banner. We read John 20:11-18. With the help of some binoculars, a magnifying glass and a lightbulb, Ben asked us, how do we perceive or understand the risen Jesus? Does he seem distant or have you realised that he is close and that he loves you? You can listen here or using the player below.
Desert wisdom #1
On Sunday 15th February, we welcomed baby Elijah and celebrated his baptism, reading the story of his biblical namesake in 1 Kings 19:11-13. We also looked ahead to Lent which begins this week. We will be exploring the wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers throughout this season. Ben encouraged us, ‘Devote yourselves to prayer’ (Colossians 4:2), to seek God who loves us, and to share the wisdom and hope we discover with others. The talk ends with a blessing by Jan Richardson. You can listen here or using the player below.
If you would like to know more about the Lectio365 Lent resources, you can find out here.
Kairos values #1 generosity (part 2)
We are focussing on our values, who we are and what is important to us as a church. Ben continues our exploration of generosity and how our response to God’s abundant generosity and grace is worked out in worship and mission. The reading is 2 Corinthians 9:6-16. You can listen here or using the player below.
Ben refers to our Create Space project and you can find out more about that here.
Wake up!
On Sunday 19th October, we celebrated Kairos’ birthday. Ben reflected on the call to ‘wake up’ in Ephesians 5:14. “The world’s a mess, God is on the move, so wake up and get involved.”
Where is the door shut to Jesus in your life? How might you hear him knocking, open the door and allow him to be with you in this moment of crisis and opportunity?
Where is the open door God is inviting you to walk through?
You can listen here or using the player below.
New Teaching Series – Christian Values and Core Values
Oops, we didn’t record the sermon at our Central Gathering last Sunday so Ben recorded a short summary – its not quite as dynamic as the live recording, but its shorter!!! You can watch the video above, download the talk as an MP3 or listen on the player below.
Ben was launching a new series thinking about our core values as a church. The bible reference was Ephesians 3:14-19.
Don’t give up on justice!
On Sunday 21st September Ben spoke on Micah 6:8 and encouraged us: don’t give up on justice. You can listen here or using the player below.
You can find 3 sets of discussion notes on this topic here.
If you want to take explore Environmental Justice more then a good place to start is the excellent essay from LICC: Jesus Died to Save the Planet.
For a deeper dive into prayer of lament about the environment try this free booklet by Jon Swales, who leads Lighthouse Community in Leeds. Lament & Hope: Prayers for the Climate Crisis and Ecological Emergency.
Learning to Pray
It was great to connect with so many in the prayer room last week, and then at the Central Gathering on Sunday as we talked about living spectacularly ordinary lives for God: wherever we are and whatever we do.
One thing that those who took part in the prayer room kept saying is that they felt God’s presence in a new or deeper way as they prayed. If prayer has a goal, I think it’s that – to find a deeper and more continuous connection with God. Now that’s a big goal, and points to our eternal future: people and God together forever. But we can take lots of small steps that help develop that connection. I’ve found two things have helped me: learning to pray on my own, and learning to pray with others.
Learning to pray on my own.
Show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Song of Songs 2: 14.
Learning that God is interested in me, God wants to be a part of my life and spend time with me has massively helped me want to develop time with God. My goal is to find as close-to-unbroken connection and conversation as I can. Sometimes that feels a long way off. But periods of silence, breathing prayer (slowly repeating a prayer or scripture with my breathing), written prayers, listening to music or getting out in nature all help.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16.
Learning that God not only listens but answers has helped too. Writing down the requests I make of God, noticing his answers, giving thanks for them. Learning to pray for healing for people, or for provision for people and acknowledging when God works. All this had grows my confidence to pray more boldly!
My current pattern is to find 3 moments of prayer in my day – morning, midday and evening. In the morning I get a bit of time to sit with God, read a part of the bible, maybe write down some thoughts or a prayer of my own. At midday I pause for a few moments, say the Lord’s prayer and let one phrase draw me to deeper prayer. At night I simply try to remember the things from the day that I’m thankful for and the things that have caused hurt, worry or fear. Then offer all to God as I go to sleep. These don’t have to be long – when I was a teacher or training I used to used my commute to pray. Sometimes my midday pause is a snatched moment in the car, or on the move.
Like lots of you I often use the Lectio 365 App to focus my prayers, which have reflections for morning, midday and evening. It’s a great place to start if you want to try a daily prayer rhythm. My advice would be don’t start with all three – pick one that most often works and then build from there.
Learning to pray with others.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42
There is something special that happens when we get together with others and worship or pray. Making some time to pray with others either with the bible, or a particular focus is a massive boost to mission.
There are lots of regular times Kairos people gather to pray. Your Kairos community might already have its own rhythm.
You are welcome to join at any of the following.
Expresso Prayers, 8am, hosted by Kindle – 10 minutes prayer on zoom, Monday to Friday.
9:30am Prayer – Half an hour every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday in the Kairos room.
Netmakers Prayer – Prayer for the town with people from lots of different churches.
Tuesdays at 9:30am in the Kairos Room.
Prayer for young people and youth work across the town with the Netmakers team.
Second Sundays, 6pm at St Andrew’s Starbeck.
Worship and Prayer night – 6:30-8pm, 4th Sundays.
A longer bit of time to linger in God’s presence, listen to His word and pray together.
Happening next – Sunday 24th September.
Starting Soon –
Prayer for Knaresborough. Weds 24th Sept, 7-8:30 and thereafter fortnightly. Venue TBC.
Prayer for Children and Families. Sunday 28th September, 11am in the Kairos Room.
If you or your community want to learn more about praying you could try –
How to Pray, by Pete Greig. There is also a great version for younger explorers.
Beholding, by Strahan Colemen – Helen and I loved this!
What’s helped you pray? How is God taking helping you increase you connection with him?