Christ Church Selly Park

Thank you! | Vicar Writes (#25)

Thank you! Thank you so much for engaging together in prayer during our 777 Prayer Week.

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Joel: Repent

Susan Haynes | Joel 2:12-18 

‘Even now,’ declares the Lord,
  ‘return to me with all your heart,
  with fasting and weeping and mourning.’
Rend your heart
  and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
  for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
  and he relents from sending calamity.

Amid a warning of coming judgement, the prophet Joel calls the whole people of God to repent - to confess their wrongdoing and turn back to God with all their heart. As Susan explains, the message is just as relevant to us today - and God's willingness to forgive and restore also never changes throughout the ages.

Due to technical problems during the service we do not have a recording of the original talk; instead, Susan kindly re-recorded her words for this podcast, and also added an explanation of the prayer stations through which we were able to express our repentance and the promise of God's forgiveness.

The recording begins with the reading from Phil Banting.

777 Prayer | Vicar Writes (#24)

Starting on Sunday 31 August we are running 777 Prayer: praying together from 7am to 7pm for 7 days.  But why?

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Habakkuk: Repeat

Ben Green | Habakkuk 3.1-2

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.

Lord, I have heard of your fame;
    I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day,
    in our time make them known;
    in wrath remember mercy.

Habakkuk goes on a journey of prayer, beginning with seeing what's wrong with the world, through some big complaints, into a big request for God to repeat his awesome acts of salvation - but ends finally in patience and joy.  How can we go on the same journey, and how can we find that same joy in the Lord?

The recording begins with the reading from Susan Mole.

777 Prayer | Vicar Writes (#23)

Anxiety, healing - how should we pray? How are we going to pray together?

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Jonah: Revive

Susan Haynes | Jonah 2:1-9 

[Jonah prayed,]

‘In my distress I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
...
‘Those who cling to worthless idols
    turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
    will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
    I will say, “Salvation comes from the Lord.”’

Jonah disobeyed God's call and, after being thrown into the raging sea, could expect only death. Yet God rescued him, and in this prayer Jonah gives thanks while also recognising his true place before God. As Susan explains, we can't get away from God any more than Jonah could. What can we learn from his prayer?

The recording begins with the reading from Simon Jones.

Zephaniah: Rejoice

John Lanchbury | Zephaniah 3:14-17 

Sing, Daughter Zion;
    shout aloud, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
    Daughter Jerusalem!
...
The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah spoke to a world in chaos, that had largely rejected God and his ways and was coming under his judgement. Yet this short book ends with a hopeful message. John explains how, whatever our circumstances, we can find joy even in the darkest times.

The podcast episode he refers to is The News Agents: "What's going on with young people and God?" dated 1 August 2025.

The recording begins with the reading from John Davies.

Hosea: Return

Allan Bartlam | Hosea 14:1-9 

Return, Israel, to the Lord your God.
    Your sins have been your downfall!
Take words with you
    and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
    ‘Forgive all our sins
and receive us graciously,
    that we may offer the fruit of our lips.’

Hosea spoke to a nation that had chosen the wrong path. Yet, as Allan explains, God was still ready to forgive them if they turned back to him. We face the same pressures today, but the promise of forgiveness still stands - and God has provided all we need to walk in the right path.

The recording begins with Ben Green interviewing Sam Haynes, who has just begun his role as Evangelism and Discipleship Assistant at Christ Church. This is followed by the reading from Elsie Lanchbury.

Prayer | Vicar Writes (#22)

Prayer... privilege, challenge... but it's also a fight. Do you want to join it?

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Pastoral care | Vicar Writes (#21)

Pastoral care involves all of us; the 'one another' verses in the Bible help us see what it means.

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