So often as Christians, we constantly complain, gripe and moan about our local congregation we attend. How the music is rubbish, or there’s nothing for the young people. Even worse than that there is a growing trend for people to leave their church in search of another congregation with what they are looking for in a church. Now don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with finding a congregation that is suited to you and your family, but there is much more to it than getting what you want. 

Recently I have been thinking, and learning more about what church means. Surely a church should be a place where we can serve God, within a local community. I believe that the best way to really feel and be part of this kind of community is not by simply attending. Sure, that is important, but there is more. To really be part of the community, you need to get stuck in, and get involved.

Over the past 2 years, I have been ‘attending’ my church, on Sunday mornings. It has been fine, praising and learning with others. However I haven’t felt as part of the community as I used to be. Recently though, as I begin to get more involved in the church, I really feel like I belong. 

If you are struggling to feel a sense of belonging in your congregation, can I suggest getting involved with your church in more than just going once on a Sunday.

This is an ongoing lesson that I am learning, and hope to continue learning.

Go check some more out at my website and my flickr

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Why did she do this? It seems strange that she would take this guy in. Her peers, other rich, white, conservatives mock her and are patronising towards her. ‘Another one of your litte projects’ is how they described her act of kindness. 

As I watched the movie it struck me that this is the kind of love that Christ showed, and that we are to show to others. Christians in NI, and I include myself in this, are so quick to judge others, ‘They are homeless for a reason’, ‘if they wanted to get our of poverty they could do it themselves, meanwhile we sit in our nice homes, watching our TVs, playing our xboxs. While there are people who we could be helping. 

One of the ways you could help is by sponsoring a child. I have been sponsoring, Emorutu Ronald, who lives in Uganda, for a few years now, through Compassion International. It’s great to write to him and get letters back, hear how Compassion are making a difference in his life. Compassion work with children all over the world, some who are in need of help. It isn’t a big deal for us here to sponsor a child, even in this economic climate, most of us are doing ok, but there are kids who have nothing. 

Check out Compassion UK or Compassion International, for more information on what they do, and how you can sponsor a child. 

You all know about the earthquake that hit Haiti on Tueday. I’m sure you have seen some of the horrific images on your TV Screens and across the internet, and the huge international relief effort that is now under way. We in the UK are among the richest people in the UK, so we should give what we can to help in the recovery. Even small amounts will help.

There are so many places to donate money, the DEC, Red Cross, Oxfam, Christian Aid. Whereever you donate to, be careful, as belive it or not there are some scammers seeking to cash in on the disaster, read more about that on the CNN website.

I want to suggest that if you want to donate some money, you could donate to Compassion International. Compassion already have staff and workers in Haiti. Compassion doesn’t receive and funding from government, so it relies on support from its sponsors and donors.

How your money could be used.

All funds raised in response to the Haiti earthquake will be used immediately to provide for Compassion-assisted children and families affected by this crisis. Any funds raised in excess will be stewarded by Compassion for additional and future disaster relief efforts.
You can provide immediate relief today.
• $35 helps provide a relief pack filled with enough food and water to sustain a family for one week.
• $70 gift helps care for their needs for two weeks.
• $105 helps provide relief packs filled with enough food and water to sustain two families for two weeks.
• $210 gift helps care for two families’ needs.
• $525 helps provide relief packs filled with enough food and water to sustain 10 families for two weeks.
• $1,050 gift helps care for 10 families’ needs.
• $1,500 helps rebuild a home.
• $2,100 helps supply 20 families with the basics for three weeks.

If you want to donate to help in the recovery please use the Haiti Earthquake page on the Compassion website.

https://www.compassion.com/contribution/giving/haitiearthquake.htm?referer=105120SocialSponsorshipBlitz

Last weekend was Fuel09. The largest Christian music festival in Ireland, I was heading up a team of photographers for the event, and took a shed load of photos. I still haven’t got around to getting through them all, but I have all the main stage artists finished, more or less.

This picture is of Starfield performing on the Sunday night.

To see more photos from Fuel09, and to keep an eye on more that will be coming soon, just head over to my Flickr

But it was our sins that did that to him,
that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
Through his bruises we get healed.

I’ve had a really busy week, with lots going on… Last weekend I spent up at the Uni of Ulster in Coleraine, for MAD10, a youth weekend run by PCI, I was helping out with the technical side of things for the weekend, its my 3rd year doing it and I love it, its always a great weekend with lots of yound people coming from all over Ireland to meet together, it was also cool to meet paul and ruth in the real world for a change.

After MAD I was lucky enough to catch Snow Patrol at an intimate gig of a few hunderd people in The Empire in Belfast. Having heard ‘Take back the city’ ad not really liking it I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I have to say the new material sounds pretty good, I haven’t got the album yet though, will get it this week. They played both new and older songs, it was a pretty good night…

I actually saw Lorraine quite a bit this week, which was really nice, normally I will only see her once during the week, but it was her 21st birthday yesterday, so we were out for a meal with friends on Monday night, then out for a meal with her family last night… both meals were pretty nice, and ti was great to celebrate with her… Happy 21st Birthday (for yesterday) Lorraine!!

I’m gonna be pretty busy the next few days, with uni, work, photoshoots and gigs, so either expect a lot of posts, or not very many at all…

I had a great weekend, as did everyone else. Came back and went to Youth Fellowship, its the first time I’ve been, but not as a leader in 3 years ( I’m not a leader anymore because I’ve moved house and it’s not really possible to be involved anymore, which I’m a little gutted about). I had a great weekend in all.

I really love my church, it might not have the most modern or best praise, and I might not necesarrily agree with everything, but it’s a community of believers who love and care about each other, and who love Christ, and is part of the wider body of Christ… I’m so thankful…