MMMMAYAYAYAY 2007 2007 2007 2007

OUR COMMUNITY

ST. THOMAS’ CHURCH, KERESLEY, AND ST. THOMAS’ CHURCH, KERESLEY, AND ST. THOMAS’ CHURCH, KERESLEY, AND ST. THOMAS’ CHURCH, KERESLEY, AND KERESLEY V ILLAGE COMKERESLEY V ILLAGE COMKERESLEY V ILLAGE COMKERESLEY V ILLAGE COMMUNITY CHURCHMUNITY CHURCHMUNITY CHURCHMUNITY CHURCH

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

St. Thomas’ Calendar and Notice Board

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News and events at St Thomas’

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Letter from Debbie Potter

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The Abolition of Slavery

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Keresley Village Community Church Calendar

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Climate change 6666

People like Us 7777

Register 7777

Mousehole 8888

Bible vs mobile phone

8888

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK - 13-19 MAY

RESISTING THE HURRICANES

Trust God even when the pieces don’t seem

to fit. John Hercus

Annual Parish Meeting Due to an omission in advertising the Parish Meeting, it was postponed and will now take place on Sunday 13th Sunday 13th Sunday 13th Sunday 13th May May May May immediately after the 10.30am service. Provision will be made for children and young people during the meeting.

The collection for Andrew White’s parish in Baghdad, featured in last month’s magazine, will also take place on that Sunday.

community, organising working groups, and carrying out practical work on the river bank and drainage channels. Even his seven-year-old cousin, Jackeline, participates in Aprodehni’s workshops, which use sport and art to help children forget the trauma of hurricanes and earthquakes. She has also taken part in rubbish-collecting brigades.

Aprodehni encourages people to get involved in, and take responsibility for, protecting and developing their own communities. Its work includes reducing the risks created by natural disasters, reducing environmental pollution and responding to emergencies. The

(Continued on page 3)

We definitely have more hurricanes and floods than we used to. I’ve lived here all my life and it wasn’t like this before. Strong winds and big waves from the sea cause more

floods now.’ Dominica Echevarría

Jesús Antonio Echevarría, usually known as Chus, is 15 and lives with his sister Dominica and her husband in the San Luis la Herradura area of El Salvador. This area is particularly prone to natural disasters. Hurricanes are a growing threat, and the low-lying land is very susceptible to flooding.

The family live in three huts close together. Chus shares a hut with his brother and the family’s livestock. Chus’s hut was battered by Hurricane Stan in 2005, and this has left holes in the roof. The family survives on just a few dollars a day.

Chus likes to get involved with his community in a practical way, and has worked on the local river bank with Christian Aid partner AprodehniAprodehniAprodehniAprodehni. He is seen in the picture above strengthening the river bank with tyres and sandbags. In the aftermath of Hurricane Stan he helped to make up food parcels for other families.

Chus is not the only member of his family to be involved with Aprodehni. His sister and brother-in-law play an active part in analysing what needs to be done in the

Chus works with Christian Aid partner Aprodehni, putting down tyres and filling sandbags to strengthen the river bank. This vital work helps his community to live with the effects of climate change

A gift of just £6 to Christian Aid would enable Aprodehni Aprodehni Aprodehni Aprodehni to clean a well after a flood. However, your support will be giving so much more than this. You will also be paying for the education and training of the local community – people who can make an immediate difference, particularly young people like Chus.

Please help poor communities around the world grow a better future this Christian Aid Week.

MAY 2007 PAGE 2

MayMayMayMay Sunday 6thSunday 6thSunday 6thSunday 6th 9am Holy Communion and hymns. Ruth Walker.

Preach: Stella Bailey 10.30am Parade Service. Peter Walker

Meeting about organizing a church fete immediately after the 10.30am service

Sunday 13thSunday 13thSunday 13thSunday 13th 9am Holy Communion. Peter Walker 10.30am Holy Communion. Peter Walker Annual Parish Meeting immediately after the

10.30am service 6pm Youth service. Steve Medley, Stella Bailey and

Karen Mottram Sunday 13th Sunday 13th Sunday 13th Sunday 13th ---- Saturday 19th May Saturday 19th May Saturday 19th May Saturday 19th May Christian Aid Week Thursday 17th Thursday 17th Thursday 17th Thursday 17th ---- Ascension Day Ascension Day Ascension Day Ascension Day 10.30am Holy Communion at Keresley Village Community

Church. David Hunter Sunday 20thSunday 20thSunday 20thSunday 20th 9am Holy Communion and hymns. Ruth Walker 10.30am Family Worship. Peter Walker Monday 28th to Friday 1st JuneMonday 28th to Friday 1st JuneMonday 28th to Friday 1st JuneMonday 28th to Friday 1st June Schools half term Tuesday 22ndTuesday 22ndTuesday 22ndTuesday 22nd 8-8.45pm Prayers for St Thomas’ . Galilee Room

Sunday 27th Sunday 27th Sunday 27th Sunday 27th ---- Pentecost Pentecost Pentecost Pentecost 9am Holy Communion. Peter Walker. Preacher:

Karen Mottram 10.30am Family Communion with Baptism by total

immersion. Peter Walker

JuneJuneJuneJune Sunday 3rdSunday 3rdSunday 3rdSunday 3rd 9am Holy Communion 10.30am Family Service

Daily PrayerDaily PrayerDaily PrayerDaily Prayer 8.30am Monday, Wednesday and Friday at St Thomas’

church, Tuesday at Keresley Village Community Church.

C H I L D R E N A N D Y O U N G P E O P L E

MAY 2007 PAGE 2

Sunday Morning Activities at St. Thomas’Sunday Morning Activities at St. Thomas’Sunday Morning Activities at St. Thomas’Sunday Morning Activities at St. Thomas’ 10.30am (during term time) 1st SundayFamily Service in Church 2nd Sunday 3-11s, Sunday School in Galilee Room,

11+, Pathfinders in the Church Hall. All join the service around 11.25am

3rd Sunday All ages start in Church 4th & 5th 3-11s, Sunday School in Galilee Room,

11+, Pathfinders in the Church Hall All join the service around 11.25am

This pattern may change occasionally for special services.

ST. THOMAS’ CHURCH CALENDAR

Thursday at St T’s For 5-11 years Meets in the Galilee Room On Thursdays From 5.30pm to 6.30pm Praise Pack

worship band for 8s (Year 4) to 13s (Year 8) meets on Tuesdays, 6pm-7pm, in the Galilee Room.

With Steve Medley, Dawn Lia, Heather and Pete Hudson .

First Steps . . . with JesusFirst Steps . . . with JesusFirst Steps . . . with JesusFirst Steps . . . with Jesus

For babies and pre-school children with their parents and carers

Meets in the Galilee Room, weekly in term time

Mondays 1.30-2.30pm

Monday evenings, 7.30pm, Galilee RoomMonday evenings, 7.30pm, Galilee RoomMonday evenings, 7.30pm, Galilee RoomMonday evenings, 7.30pm, Galilee Room

My apologies for the late appearance of the April magazine. This was due to a combination of

holidays and corrupt computer files.

As a general rule, the completed magazine goes to the printers on the last Monday of the month, ready to be available by the first Sunday of the coming month. If you would like an item included in the magazine, please could you notify me by the third

Sunday of the month. Stop press items notified later will be included if there is room! Heather Hudson

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Refreshment for all Tuesday afternoons, 2.30-3.30pm in the

Galilee Room

Dates for May:

Tuesdays 8th and 22nd

If you need transport or

would like to request prayers, please contact Margaret Bosworth

‘Praying and expecting everything to come from God and not doing anything yourself is not praying. This is laziness; this is alienation. This is passivity, conformity. This is not the time, dear brothers and sisters to say: it is God’s will. Many things happen that are not God’s will. When people can contribute something of themselves to improve the situation and ask God for the courage to do so, then there is prayer.’

Oscar Romero, 1979

changing climate is creating a situation that calls for an urgent response. The increased frequency and intensity of hurricanes and subsequent flooding demonstrate the catastrophic effects that climate change is already having on some of the world’s poorest people.

Archbishop Oscar Romero memorably referred to the 80 per cent of El Salvadoreans living in poverty as a ‘crucified people’. Romero worked tirelessly on behalf of poor people, speaking out against injustice and oppression. This brought him into conflict with the government and the military. He was assassinated by the army in 1980.

Chus is just one of these ‘crucified people’. Yet with the help of Aprodehni, he is helping to save lives. Although he is poor, he is helping people to adapt to climate change and to live with the effects of natural disasters.

(Continued from page 1) Christian Aid Week ST THOMAS’ FETE

We wish to hold a fete to try and raise some funds towards our new extension on either Saturday 23rd June, or Saturday 7th July.

We are looking for voluntary help in getting it coordinated and would like each person or pair to be able to arrange specific things for it.

It has been suggested so far to have a mixed table top sale and fete with bouncy castle and games to play such as: penalty shoot-out, balls in a jar,

hook a duck, tombola, etc. Please ask other churches if they have any

members who’d like to have a craft stall. We think £10 a pitch would raise a bit of money for us. If you can think of a game or craft stall to have we’d like your ideas and involvement in making this happen.

If you remember the Community day at the church, we’d like to make it as big as that and have some stalls at the church end as well as the church hall end. Maybe we could have some music played and banner display by some of our children, or even a pet show! (only if it’s in a bowl or cage and you can carry it!)

We’ll have a meeting on 6th May after the 10.30am service and pool together ideas. Ideas would also be welcome for someone to open the fete.

Christian Aid Week - 13th-19th May Kate Tordoff is moving to Yorkshire so we need a new Coordinator for Christian Aid in the parish. To find out more about what is involved have a chat with Rob Gilbert, our former coordinator.

In the meantime If anyone would like to join the ranks of our Christian Aid collectors this year please see Heather Hudson. Make a difference by collecting for Christian Aid. All house-to-house collectors must be aged 16 or over (although delivery of envelopes can by done by anyone). The house-to-house collection must only take place during the dates of Christian Aid Week.

An opportunity to engage with the SPIRITOFLIFE though meditation and mysticism, prophecy and dream interpretation , massages and therapies, street

entertainment and seminars, poetry, art and the senses, angels and blessings, anointings and healing prayer, plus so much more.

Coventry Cathedral, Monday 7th May 10.30am-5.3opm. Admission free

In the rush and bustle of everyday life, it's easy to forget that we are spiritual beings.

Join us at SPIRITOFLIFE to rediscover how God's Spirit can speak to us through healing, prayer, art and music.

Try an alternative therapy, walk the labyrinth, pray and be prayed for, or just relax and enjoy the atmosphere of Coventry’s unique Cathedral.

SPIRITOFLIFE is co-ordinated by Canon Yvonne Richmond, Canon for Mission at Coventry Cathedral.

MAY 2007 PAGE 4

From Debbie Potter’s latest report from the Dominican Republic

I t has now been 8 months since I arrived in the Dominican Republic. It is amazing how much life has changed in the last 4 months.

Firstly in December we had a change over of volunteers and so we said goodbye to 2 dear friends and welcomed Lynne as the new Education Adviser. Thanks to her everything here has now started to happen. We have started writing a syllabus and ordering lots of equipment to be used by next year’s girls.

The second change is that I have now started doing special needs with 1st to 4th grade. My groups range from 3 to 6 children who I have once a week for a session of reading and writing. It gives me an opportunity to bring the children into the library and show them that books can be fun and enjoyable. They absolutely love it when I tell them they can choose the book we read that day, they run around madly hunting through all the books. The improvements I have seen in some of these children in such a short amount of time are incredible. It really makes you feel like you’re doing something worthwhile. When a child reads a full sentence on their own for the first time or learns to write their name properly they're so happy and it just fills you with pride

.At the end of the winter term we volunteers couldn’t say goodbye for 2 weeks without making complete fools of ourselves. For many weeks we wrote and tested our Spanish to provide the children with a pantomime. Completely in Spanish and completely ridiculous.

My Spanish has improved dramatically and I am now quite happy to hold conversations with people in the village. Louise and I spend most nights in the village talking with our friends and it is going to be so hard to leave them at the end of this year. Not only will I miss my friends but I will miss the culture where you just walk outside your front door and you can find someone who you can just sit and talk to while sitting outside their house watching everyone walk by. Almost everyone is related to everyone, and if you're not then they still treat you like an adopted family. Many people here want to

leave and move to Spain or England but they don't understand that having this culture is far better than

the life they think they might have anywhere else. If there's anything that I have learnt from the Dominicans it is their catchphrase mañana¨. In other words everything will happen eventually, there's no need to rush.

I am still continuing to help out at Monday night devotions with 7th and 8th grade and now we have worked out the group that really want to work we are having a lot more fun playing games

and learning about the Bible. Also in the village is an old ambulance garage that we have renovated and in the last few weeks we have started using it for devotions on a Friday night with the graduates of the COPA school.

In January I celebrated my 19th Birthday and scarily realised that I'm almost out of my teen years. Growing up happens too quickly, sometimes I feel I

should still be in school with these children. We were settled back at school doing the usual routine until 27th February which is a very special day for Dominicans. It is their Day of Independence! We spent hours making flags with the children, painting flags on children and eventually ending the day with a huge parade through the streets of La Hoya and singing the national anthem.

Now we are back for the summer and final term of this year. The kids are settling down getting ready for the end of year exams and all would be well if the school hadn’t recently had an outbreak of chicken pox. My time is full again of teaching classes, organising the English syllabus and resources and writing exams for the children in the summer. No rest for the wicked. I just pray I stay healthy and that all my children pass their exams. The next report I write to you will be as I leave this country. I wish I

could share every second of this year with you but there isn’t enough paper in the world to write the roller coaster of feelings you go through. I’m still working hard, still smiling and still loving every single minute of it.

There will be a welcome home 'sharing supper' at Jean Elliot's

house on Sat. 25th August.

OUR COMMUNITY PAGE 5

host of good causes, died. His name will always be linked with the final defeat of what John Wesley called ‘the scandal of England and of human nature’ – slavery.

OUR COMMUNITY PAGE 5

The Abolition of Slavery Dr H B McGonigle is Senior Lecturer in Historical Theology, Church History and Wesley Studies in Nazarene Theological College, Manchester, England completes his series of articles on Slavery

A s the earlier articles in this series have shown, many people were involved in the political campaign against the Slave Trade in the British Empire in the 18th and 19th centuries. Leading this battle was William Wilberforce (1759-1833), without question the most influential and dominant of the anti-slavery activists.

Born at Hull in Yorkshire, he entered St John’s College, Cambridge, in 1776. At the age of twenty-one he became Member of Parliament for Hull and four years later won the much larger parliamentary seat of Yorkshire. In 1785 he had a deeply-personal experience of conversion to Christ and for the rest of his life, his evangelical faith and convictions motivated everything he did.

The Rev John Newton (1725-1807), former slave-ship captain and the evangelical vicar of St Mary, Woolnoth, London, became Wilberforce’s spiritual guide and counsellor.

In 1787, with the support of his evangelical friends and Prime Minister William Pitt, Wilberforce launched his crusade to persuade the British Parliament to pass an Act that would abolish the slave trade. In Britain’s colonies in the West Indies the very profitable cane sugar plantations were worked by slaves forcibly brought from Africa.

On 12 May 1789 Wilberforce delivered his first anti-slavery speech in the House of Commons in London. His attack on slavery engaged him for the next thirty-six years. Encouraged by a letter he received from the dying John Wesley in February 1791, Wilberforce delivered a stirring four-hour speech in parliament on April 18. His attempt to bring in an Abolition Bill was defeated by 163 votes to 88, and in the next six years he suffered six more defeats in the same cause. Wilberforce, however, was undaunted and after ten more years of collecting evidence, lobbying friends in parliament, and delivering speeches, his Abolition Bill was finally successful in February 1807. It became law on 25 March.

This Abolition Bill, however, did not mean an end of slavery in the British Empire. It prohibited British ships from transporting slaves on the high seas but the thousands of slaves on the plantations were not set free. In 1825 Wilberforce retired from parliament but carried on the campaign to abolish slavery entirely. On 26 July 1833, forty-four years after Wilberforce delivered his first anti-slavery speech, the Emancipation Bill was passed. Slavery was outlawed in all British territories. Three days later William Wilberforce, evangelical Christian, friend of the oppressed and tireless campaigner in a

Pentecost and the birth of the Church is a good time to consider exactly what the sacrament of Baptism is all about. On Pentecost Sunday at St Thomas’ candidates will be baptised by total immersion

What about Baptism? What exactly is Christian baptism? What is its significance for us today? According to the New Testament a Christian is someone who, by definition, has been baptised. As a result baptism is never raised as an issue. However there are passages which can give us important insights e.g. Romans 6. Here Paul offers 3 key truths about baptism.

Firstly, Paul describes baptism as into Christ (3). It speaks of the Christian’s new identity arising from relationship with Christ. Like a wedding ring, it is the sign and seal of the relationship. Baptism is as much an affirmation of God’s grace as a profession of faith, meaning that it is not inappropriate for infants to be baptised. Paul is also teaching us that baptism is a once-for-all event, closing the door on rebaptism. However, like marriage, there is the place for the re-affirmation of baptismal vows.

Secondly, Paul states that baptism is into Christ’s death and resurrection (3-10). Baptism by immersion illustrates how a believer is united with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. As a result of being identified with the death of Christ, the Christian is described as dead to sin (2,11). We are freed from the consequences of sin, including its penalty and power, by the death of Jesus, who bore the penalty of our sin in himself on the cross. We can picture baptism like a door between our old and new life. It speaks of the death of what I once was (self-centred, unforgiven and alienated from God), and of the new life in Christ I am now learning to live.

Finally, Paul affirms that baptism is into the life of Christ (11-14). Baptism is not just a one-off event but a lifestyle. Just as a newly released prisoner has to learn to live with their new found freedom, so as Christians we have to live out our new life in Christ (11). This involves putting to death wrong patterns of behaviour from the old life (12), as well as offering ourselves in God’s service (13). Baptism itself speaks of God’s forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit which are his resources to help us to do this on a daily basis.

As those who belong to God, Christians are called to live as baptised people – to what extent is this true of you and me today?

Rev Paul H

ardingham.

MAY 2007 PAGE 6

Regular MeetingsRegular MeetingsRegular MeetingsRegular Meetings "Children's Club" "Children's Club" "Children's Club" "Children's Club" Mondays Trailblazers 5Mondays Trailblazers 5Mondays Trailblazers 5Mondays Trailblazers 5----6pm6pm6pm6pm Tuesday mornings 9.30Tuesday mornings 9.30Tuesday mornings 9.30Tuesday mornings 9.30----10.30am First Steps for babies 10.30am First Steps for babies 10.30am First Steps for babies 10.30am First Steps for babies and preand preand preand pre----school children with their parents and carers, school children with their parents and carers, school children with their parents and carers, school children with their parents and carers, during term timeduring term timeduring term timeduring term time Wednesday 7.30Wednesday 7.30Wednesday 7.30Wednesday 7.30----9pm 9pm 9pm 9pm –––– ‘Drop ‘Drop ‘Drop ‘Drop----in’ Centre for teenagersin’ Centre for teenagersin’ Centre for teenagersin’ Centre for teenagers Mondays and Thursdays 9.30Mondays and Thursdays 9.30Mondays and Thursdays 9.30Mondays and Thursdays 9.30----11.30am 11.30am 11.30am 11.30am Coffee mornings Coffee mornings Coffee mornings Coffee mornings The Church is open for anyone to drop in for a drink and a chat. I ************************* Special note: Thursday 17th MayThursday 17th MayThursday 17th MayThursday 17th May The Coffee morning on this date will be a fundraising event , raising funds for the First Steps group. Tombola …. card making …. and more **************************

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MayMayMayMay Sunday 6thSunday 6thSunday 6thSunday 6th 10.30am Family Service. Ruth Walker Sunday 13thSunday 13thSunday 13thSunday 13th 10.30am Morning Worship. Pam Reid Thursday 17th Thursday 17th Thursday 17th Thursday 17th ---- Ascension Day Ascension Day Ascension Day Ascension Day 10.30am Holy Communion. David Hunter Sunday 20thSunday 20thSunday 20thSunday 20th 10.30am Morning Worship. Stella Bailey 6pm Evening Worship. Ruth Walker Sunday 27th Sunday 27th Sunday 27th Sunday 27th ---- Pentecost Pentecost Pentecost Pentecost 10.30am Holy Communion. Ruth Walker

JuneJuneJuneJune Sunday 3rdSunday 3rdSunday 3rdSunday 3rd 10.30am Family Service

KERESLEY VILLAGE COMMUNITY CHURCH SERVICES

Elizabeth Goodridge and Ian Yearsley of Southwark Diocese

Source: Christian Aid

Climate change – what we can do Sometimes it is all too easy for people to listen to global issues and say to themselves, ‘There’s nothing that I can do about all this. My contribution will not have an impact; it’s too big a task for that.’ Yet Jesus was just one man who came and spread the gospel in three years to a world that was steeped in sin and had lost its way. And look at the impact he has had on millions of people since then.

Climate change will happen – the damage has been done, but its devastating effects can be reduced if a large proportion of the world’s population reduces their individual carbon emissions. If each ‘carbon-emitting’ person makes one change in their lives to reduce their output it will make a difference to future generations. Examples might be generating their own energy by using solar roof panels – even on their church roofs; turning the heating down by one degree; or switching to a ‘green’ energy supplier; and turning off electrical appliances instead of leaving them on standby.

And what about how people travel? Taking the bus or train, cycling or walking rather than driving the car; reducing air travel wherever possible will all count. But perhaps the key action everyone can take that costs nothing is to raise awareness about climate change and encourage others to do their bit.

As Christians we cannot afford to sit back and ignore what humanity is doing to the created world of which we are all a part. We are but dust and to dust we shall return, but whilst we are here we are committed to protect this world created in love by God.

What messages is God giving us through climate change? Next month we will explore this in the final article in this series.

The major challenges of climate change and rising debt…and where God fits in

Generous God, You give us gifts that are not ours by right.

You give us life, You give us freedom,

You give us our planet with its changing

seasons and rhythms of nature, You give us the miracle of creation,

And we have misused your gifts.

We look at our world, overcrowded by the

thorns of injustice And we are ashamed.

We look at the suffering caused by our actions

And we pray for the will to change.

We look at the vast gap between rich and poor in our world

And we pray to be shaken out of our apathy.

Lord, remind us always that your son was

born into poverty And suffered gross injustice.

Inspire us to see his face in all those who suffer And to extend our love to all who bear his

image,

So that your will may be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Amen.

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THANKSGIVINGS

8th April Pearl May Lemonique Heneghan Mia Loiuse Leonard

22nd April Darcie May Beasley

WEDDINGS

20th April Benjamyn Wasteney and Samantha Whitfield

27th April Ahmed Guransabo Kheyrandish and Donna Marie Flemming

CREMATIONS

12th March Barbara Ann Robins aged 73 of Cottage Farm Road

26th March Ada Macauley aged 87 of Keresley Wood

27th March Paul Ronald Weavers aged 48 of Brownshill Green Road

30th March Ann Miriam Manning aged 54 of Humber Road

3rd April Vera Elizabeth Jane Barber aged 91 of The Spinney

18th April Florence Rose Rowley aged 86 of Fillers Close

26th April Julie Ann Walker aged 39 of Burnaby Road

OUR COMMUNITY PAGE 7

Regular Activities in the Church Hall NB the Church Hall is not usually available for late night Discos

Pre-school Playgroup Mondays to Fridays, 9am - 11.30am and 12.30pm – 3pm 13th Brownies Mondays, 6.00 - 7.30pm 41st Cubs Mondays, 6.45 - 8.30pm (in Scout Hut) 41st Scouts Tuesdays, 7.00 - 9.00pm (in Scout Hut) 9th Brownies Wednesdays, 6.00 - 7.30pm 9th Guides Thursdays, 6.30 - 8.30pm 41st Beavers Fridays, 6.00 - 7.30pm (for 6-8 year olds, in Scout Hut)

FROM THE PARISH REGISTER People Like Us - Solomon King Solomon was famous for his wisdom, as we see when he adjudicated between two women who both claimed a baby as their own (1 Kings 3:4-28). He demonstrated a practical formula for godly wisdom: WISDOM = knowing WHAT God wants you to do + knowing HOW and WHEN to put it into practice.

Solomon Asked for Wisdom God’s offer to Solomon was unconditional, ‘ask for whatever you want me to give you’ (5). We might ask for financial stability, health or a comfortable life. However, Solomon asked for the wisdom that he needed to govern his people. We need God’s wisdom to be the people God intends us to be, for the decisions we make and in the use of our time, gifts and resources.

In what areas of life do you especially need God’s wisdom?

God Gave His Wisdom God gave Solomon ‘a wise and discerning heart’ (12). Being able to receive God’s wisdom begins with a right fear of God (cf Prov 1:7). We have to be humble and teachable, not proud or self-sufficient. We also need God’s word in our hearts (cf Col 3:16), as we learn to attune our hearts to hear him.

In what practical ways have you experienced God’s wisdom?

Solomon Applied God’s Wisdom God’s wisdom is only effective in our lives when we act upon it, as demonstrated by Solomon deciding the women’s case. However, he is also a warning to us! In later life Solomon allowed his heart to be turned away from God by surrounding himself with 700 foreign wives (1 Kings 1:9).

Who are the people who encourage us to act wisely?

‘If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him’ (James 1:5).

Christian Aid Week - Prayers and inspiration Lord of compassion, We pray this week that you will broaden our perspective, Open our hearts, Give us a generous spirit, And make us long for change, So that together, we may stand alongside those who suffer the effects of our lifestyles And be united in our cry for justice. Amen.

‘Our hope is the glory of a new creation… not justice alone, but justice that is constantly being revitalised by the grateful longing to share and to give to others the freedom to give. That is how God has treated us; that is how we are to relate to each other.’ Archbishop Rowan Williams, 2005

UK registered charity number 1105851 Company number 5171525 Republic of Ireland charity number CHY 6998 F1318E