From the Pastor's Desk

I hope this message finds you well and filled with the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Friends, I would like to invite you all to this week's communion service! This is a special time for us to come together as a community and remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, through the sharing of bread and drink. It is a time for reflection and renewal, and an opportunity to receive God's grace and blessings. Communion is a special occasion where we can show that we belong to Jesus and remember what Jesus did for us. It’s a time when we remember and celebrate the death of Christ for all humanity as symbolised through foot-washing (humility and cleansing), the bread (Christ’s broken body) and the cup (Christ’s blood shed for us).

Just as Jesus commanded us in Matthew 5:23-24, "So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Reconciliation with one another is a vital step in our journey of faith. It allows us to experience the unity and love within the body of Christ, and it reflects God's character to the world around us.

In preparation for our upcoming Lord's Supper service, I would like to suggest a few practical steps:
1. Examine your heart: Take some time to reflect on your relationship with God and evaluate areas where you may need to seek His forgiveness. Psalm 139:23-24 reminds us, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting!"
2. Seek reconciliation: If there are broken relationships within our church family or even outside of it, prayerfully consider taking steps towards reconciliation. Jesus encourages us to seek reconciliation in Matthew 18:15, "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone."
3. Pray: Dedicate time to pray for the Communion service, asking God to reveal any areas that require repentance or forgiveness. James 5:16 reminds us, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed."
4. Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit: In preparation for the Communion service, ask the Holy Spirit to help you examine your heart and reveal any areas of sin or unforgiveness that need attention. The Holy Spirit is our counsellor and guide, and He will enable us to discern what needs to be confessed and reconciled. As we read in Romans 8:26, "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

May this upcoming Communion service be a time of deep reflection, renewed commitment, and intense joy as we experience God's unfailing love together. May the Holy Spirit work mightily in our lives, transforming us and drawing us closer to Him.

In His Love,
David Peñate