Ascension : From St Mary's Church
Submitted by The Islander (Islander Editors) 13.01.2011 (Article Archived on 27.01.2011)

St. Mary’s Church Ascension Island (Diocese of St.Helena)

Starting the New Year

As we begin the New Year, our thoughts turn to the resolutions about what we can do to make it better.

We ponder the best ways to lose weight, get healthy, balance our budget, prepare for the future, afford the things we think we need, or repair or improve our relationships with others.

Indeed these are worthy endeavours, but there is a deeper, more fundamental change with which we should be concerned. A change of the heart.

No matter what external changes we make, the Bible say that our hearts are turned away from God, we are in rebellion against Him, and only He can fix us. For those who realize the truth of this concept, the possibility of forgiveness and a new start comes as good news indeed.

God loves us so much that He provided the way to set us free from the guilt that comes from a life lived in disobedience to Him. This forgiveness was accomplished by Jesus taking all our sins on Himself and paying for them by His death on the cross.

All He asks is that you turn from your selfish pursuits, believe that Jesus paid for your sins on the cross, and seek to obey Him out of gratitude for all He has done for you.

You won't be sorry. You'll be forgiven. You'll begin to know the freedom that only God can accomplish.

What better way to start a New Year?

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Service for Sunday 16 January 2011

Sunday 16 January will be the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. The service for Sunday will be a celebration of the ‘Eucharist without a Priest’. The service will start at the usual time of 10.30am.

The readings for Sunday will be: Isaiah 49: 1-7 and 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Have a safe and peaceful week.

Church Wardens: Mervyn Isaac 6230 and Alan Nicholls 6232