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North Walsham Methodist Church Grammar School Road, North Walsham, Norfolk, NR28 9JH
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PAUSE
FOR THOUGHT One of the things that many church congregations would like is a church with plenty of children and young people. Sadly many children and young people today say that church is too boring and irrelevant to their lives. I too might share their view if I were their age. I cannot in all honesty condemn them for preferring a game of football on a Sunday morning to coming to church. After all what does church offer them, except perhaps to think or even say, “When I was your age.....” But what life they bring to the church family; what laughter and fun they inject into the place. They seem to be always happy, full of excitement, and they’re nearly always good. They are ready to help and take part, and they do enjoy singing. As a child I remember the hymn, which is perhaps
most closely associated with children; ‘Jesus Loves Me’. Susan
and Ann Warner wrote it in 1859. It first appeared as a poem in the
Warner Girls Novel. Jesus loves me! this I know, For the Bible tells
me so. With this song he tried to comfort the final moments of little Johnny Fax. Indeed a few hours later he went to be with the one who loved him so much. The lines of the poem came to the attention of the famous composer, William Bradbury, and in 1861 he set them to music and added the chorus:
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
In Proverbs we read the words: “I LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE ME; WHOEVER LOOKS FOR ME CAN FIND ME.”
Proverbs Chapter 8 verse 17 How do we love God? How do we express our love for him who gave so much for us? I’m reminded of the poem by Elizabeth Barrett-Browning:
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
We would do well to ask that question of ourselves in relation to God. How do we love Him? And how do we count his ways as individuals and as a church?
With my love to you all. Pat
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