Accra: Andy Gorman
I was sat with my wife in a coffee shop recently, for a late birthday lunch date and we were enjoying a really relaxing moment together. Others were in the coffee shop too, chatting away about their business with the gentle clink of glasses being cleared away, more drinks being served and the constant but friendly ‘hum’ of the AC fan above us… It was lovely…but then the lights went out! Grrr, another power cut.
As we finished our drinks and asked the waitress for the bill, we both commented that the atmosphere was somehow different. Yes, it was darker and the AC was now off, but we both realized together it was something else… Yes! The music had stopped. It was the lack of music that made the atmosphere change from being light and breezy to now being just a little bit flat and uninteresting; Just that ‘one little’ thing made such a big difference to the atmosphere.
Now, we could debate the rest of the day about how music makes a difference to the world, but what I’m thinking is that in our relationship with God, some things can suddenly stop in our lives and really make a big difference to the spiritual atmosphere we live in. Many of us would think prayer, or evangelism, or singing in the choir, even intercession etc, are the big influencers for our lives and churches, yet I offer a different thought to you. Whilst those things are significant parts of our Christianity I think the real ‘music’ of our lives comes in the form of having a great attitude, being humble, being kind and generous and even things like faith-filled enthusiasm! All these are subtler, yet when they suddenly depart from your life, it’s like the light’s gone out and in a way that’s kind of true. The light of Christ shines far brighter from you when you stop to help a friend in need, or offer to serve the ministry of your local church without expecting reward. These ‘little acts of service’ and warm, faith-filled attitudes are like music to God’s ears. You know when Jesus was talking to his disciples he told them such things like he came to earth to serve; that he was to lay his life down and we know from the Gospels that he was friends with prostitutes, criminals and the ordinary person of the world. Of course he prayed – yes he read the scriptures and he never missed church on Sunday, because you can’t miss out the very building blocks of our faith. But – the freshness of life, things that take us out of flat, duty led religion comes from keeping the music alive.
What's Happening on Sunday's!
We are now holding Pre-launch Services every Sunday at the Holiday Inn, at 11:00am to 12:30pm. These services are all about gathering a brand new congregation together, helping you discover your God-given destiny and all of us preparing for our ‘Official Launch’ in September when Hope City Church will celebrate it’s arrival here with a bang! If you’re a student or aged around 18-30 you will love the fresh new thing God is doing through our church in Accra and if you have a family we will have crèche facilities and children’s workers for children aged 2-10 years.
Plus, don’t hesitate to get plugged into our Connect Groups every Wednesday night to catch up with each other mid week and really get connected into the heart and family of Hope City.
Also, our amazing YES! COURSE is every Wednesday night and then repeated each Saturday morning. More than just a beginners guide to the Christian life, it’s designed to take you an journey of discovering who Jesus really is and what Christianity is all about.
COMING UP: Ghana Express Crusade, September 2010
After all the fun of the Word Cup we will be holding a huge crusade for the official launch of the church on 2nd to 5th September. The Ghana Express Week will include four night rallies at 6:00pm each night, including Sunday 5th September for two brilliant services at 11:00am & 6:00pm. Special guests in Ghana for the crusade, from England will be Bishops Dave and Jenny Gilpin, Senior Pastors of Hope City Church and they will be speaking at each service, bringing the Word of God alive to you, to ‘Change Your World’! Plus, the British Leadership Academy will be out and about on the streets, beaches and schools of Accra to spread the word and meet as many of you as possible – You can be involved too so don’t feel left out!
Look forward to meeting you soon, God bless you all,
Rev. Andy Gorman
Congregation Pastor of Hope City Accra
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