We were pleased to welcome Mrs Kath Farrimond to lead our worship last Sunday, 29 January, as this was her first service at Ashley Methodist Church.  Our steward Margaret Chambers welcomed Kath to out pulpit and also a number of our friends from Market Drayton who came to support Kath.  The theme of the service was “Forgiveness” and

Kath told the children the delightful story of two farmers who had adjacent farms and who were brothers who had fallen out.  Neither would forgive the other and one went ahead and dug a deep ditch to separate their land.  The other brother engaged a carpenter to build a stout fence along the boundary but the carpenter quietly built a bridge over the ditch and not a fence.  As a result the brothers became reconciled and the carpenter refused payment for his work saying he had “other bridges to build”.

Our first lesson from Matthew, chapter 6, was read by Bunty Hodgkins and the second from Matthew, chapter 18, was read by Margaret Chambers and here Jesus was explaining that we should forgive our enemies seventy times seven.

In her sermon Kath preached on forgiveness in three parts.  First we must be forgiven by God and be continually renewed by the Holy Spirit as we repent and say sorry for the wrong things we have done.  God’s forgiveness is a free gift.  Second, we need to be forgiven by others as we need to get right with other people, and third, we need to forgive others and he who does not forgive does not repent.  As Christians we are called to be forgiven and to forgive.

Our Bible Study takes place on Friday morning at 10.00am.  Please telephone Jill on 01630 672870 for further details.  You will be assured of a coffee and a warm welcome.

On 2 March 2012 there will be a Women’s World Day of Prayer Service at the Ashley Roman Catholic Church – details later.