Recalibrate: To make small changes to an instrument so that it measures accurately. (Cambridge Dictionary)

1.To mark the scale or check the accuracy of (a measuring instrument). (Collins Dictionary)

2. Mark (a gauge or instrument) with a standard scale of readings. (Lexico.com)

Do not have two differing weights in your bag – one heavy, one light. Do not have two differing measures in your house – one large, one small. You must have accurate and honest weights and measures… For the LORD your God detests anyone who...deals dishonestly. Deuteronomy 25:13-16

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2 NIV

Why would you focus on the flaw in someone else’s life and yet fail to notice the glaring flaws of your own?... First acknowledge your own ‘blind spots’ and deal with them, and then you’ll be capable of dealing with the ‘blind spot’ of your friend. Matthew 7:3-5 TPT

Why would you focus on the flaw in someone else’s life and yet fail to notice the glaring flaws of your own?... First acknowledge your own ‘blind spots’ and deal with them, and then you’ll be capable of dealing with the ‘blind spot’ of your friend. Matthew 7:3-5 TPT

No matter who you are, before you judge the wickedness of others, you had better remember this:… When you judge others, and then do the same things they do, you condemn yourself. Romans 2:1 TPT

Do these words challenge you?

Take a moment to be still before God and invite the Holy Spirit to challenge you and guide you through this booklet.

Did you focus mostly on the positive or the negative words above?

Ask God to point out any area where your perspective is skewed.

Do you need to ask forgiveness for any judgemental attitudes?

Thank God for loving you unconditionally. Thank Him for the work of transformation that he is doing in you.

Pray that you might recognise spiritual treasure in others and be anencourager.

Pray for ministries such as Purley Counselling Service and our church prayer team that help people to see themselves (and others) more clearly, leading to healing and wholeness.

Psalm 137:1-5

By the rivers of Babylon Eduard Bendemann, c. 1832

Psalm 137 was written after God’s people had been taken into captivity in Babylon.

They yearned for the old days, they longed for things to be as they were before.

They couldn’t bring themselves to sing.

We are not in exile, but many of our freedoms have been severely restricted. Once again, God’s people are having to adjust to new ways of being a community of faith.

We can sit and sulk, or we can innovate!

Though we are prohibited from our singing out loud in church, we can still praise and worship in our hearts (and in our homes).

Throughout this booklet we will use lyrics from praise songs and add links to worship videos.

Come, let’s sing the songs of the Lord, let’s worship the Lord together!

Jesus at the centre of it all Jesus at the centre of it all From beginning to the end It will always be, it's always been You Jesus, Jesus

Nothing else matters, Nothing in this world will do Jesus You're the centre Everything revolves around You, Jesus You

Jesus be the centre of my life Jesus be the centre of my life From beginning to the end It will always be, it's always been You Jesus, Jesus…

Jesus be the centre of Your church Jesus be the centre of Your church And every knee will bow And every tongue shall confess You Jesus, Jesus..

From my heart to the Heavens Jesus be the centre It's all about You, Yes it's all about You It's all about You, all about You, Jesus

Songwriters: Adam Ranney / Israel Houghton / Micah Massey

Cartoon from ‘Nancy Likes Christmas’ by Ernie Bushmiller

Who (or what) is at the centre of your life?

Read the words of the song opposite or follow the link to listen.

Jesus said, ‘Are you tired? Worn out?... Get away with me and you’ll recover your life .I’ll show you how to take a real rest. …keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly’ (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG )

Ask the Holy Spirit to talk with you about the most precious commodity we each have in our lives– Time.

Join-in the song on-line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF8IfktCgqk

The Sabbath was a day given over to rest and worship. It was time for God’s people to be still and to re-centre on Him. (Exodus 20 :8-11.)

Through the discipline of taking a Sabbath rest we also are able to honour God and show that He has priority in our lives .

What are you aiming for?

Have there been instances when you have missed the mark or

been tempted to settle for less than your best?

Photo : Helen Lane

Photos : Steve Lane

All of you is more than enough for all of me For every thirst and every need You satisfy me with Your love And all I have in You is more than enough You’re my supply, my breath of life And still more awesome than I know You are my reward worth living for And still more awesome than I know All of you is more than enough for all of me... You're my sacrifice of greatest price And still more awesome than I know You're my coming King You are everything And still more awesome than I know More than all I want More than all I need You are more than enough for me More than all I know More than all I can say You are more than enough for me

Join-in the song on-line:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjz0KL_qiDw

Every time I try to make it on my own Every time I try to stand, I start to fall And all those lonely roads that I have travelled on There was Jesus

When the life I built came crashing to the ground When the friends I had were nowhere to be found I couldn't see it then but I can see it now There was Jesus

In the waiting, in the searching In the healing, in the hurting Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces Every minute, every moment Where I've been or where I'm going Even when I didn't know it Or couldn't see it- There was Jesus

For this man who needs amazing kind of grace For forgiveness and a price I couldn't pay I'm not perfect so I thank God every day There was Jesus

In the waiting, in the searching…

On the mountains, in the valleys There was Jesus In the shadows of the alleys There was Jesus In the fire, in the flood There was Jesus Always is and always was No, I never walk alone…

Songwriters: Casey Beathard / Jonathan Smith / Zach Williams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtMQPW09qTU

This song speaks of Jesus bringing blessing even out of the broken pieces of our lives.

Read the words or use the link opposite to listen to the song. Are you also able to look back on your life’s journey and see Jesus?

Can you thank God for blessings in the broken pieces?

Pray: Renew 23, the Wellbeing Café

They are currently meeting in groups of six outside. Please pray for relationships, wisdom in planning and how to meet in the future.

is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold or other metal. The repair then becomes an integral part of the object, rather than something to be disguised. The resulting masterpiece can be more valuable than the original piece.

Do you know where you are going?

Are you in the right place?

Do you need to check your map?

Are you willing to change direction?

We walk by faith and not by sight!

On a flight from London to Hong Kong it was disconcerting for passengers to see Miami marked as the destination.

Our crew assured us that we were definitely on the correct flight and the flight map was accurate, but for some reason the on-screen display

couldn’t be re-calibrated.

Photo : Tom Boyle

Photos : Judi Lane

We are an altar of broken stones But You delight in the offering You have the heavens to call Your home But You abide in the song we sing

Ten thousand angels surround Your throne To bring You praise that will never cease But hallelujah from here below Is still Your favourite melody

We sing Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah (x2)

And should the fire that once burned bright Become an ember my eyes can't see I will remember Your sacrifice I will abide in Your love for me

Oh, we sing Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah…

Jesus Christ our King enthroned All the praise is Yours forevermore Hallelujah here below All the praise is Yours forevermore (x2)

Oh, what a wonderful day to come When every knee bows before Your name But we will not wait until it does For here and now shall Your Kingdom reign

Oh, we sing Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah…

The broken people sing

Songwriters: Steven Furtick / Chris Brown

In the Bible people built an altar as a memorial in a places where they met with God.

A place of encounter A place of forgiveness A place of worship A place of covenant A place of intercession. Read 1 Kings 18

It was a time of national crisis.

By the time Elijah arrived on the scene, There hadn’t been any rain for three and a half years and people were desperate for answers.

The first thing he did was to call people together, then he repaired the broken altar and called down fire from heaven.

He needed to get the people’s focus back on to God. He needed to re-set their expectations and raise their levels of faith.

In this Covid season, could God, once again, be calling his people to rebuild or repair an altar of prayer and encounter? Are you excited, alarmed or indifferent to this question?

Have you already built an altar—a place where you meet with God? (It could be as simple as a specific chair or a time of day.) If not, could God be inviting you to set aside a designated time to spend with Him?

Join-in the song on-line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3C7tj02x-M

There's a battle raging over this land A deep damage in the people But pride stops us Stretching out our withered hand But God has stretched out to heal us This I know this I know This I know this I know That just one touch from the King Changes ev'rything Just one touch from the King Changes ev'rything There's a great darkness over this land A deep darkness on the people But a light is shining That the dark can't understand The Light of the world King Jesus Do you know do you know Do you know do you know

Songwriter: Godfrey Birtill

Join-in the song on-line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLs6Kl3wgtk

Edward Burra Healing at the Pool of Bethesda 1951 From the Methodist Modern Art Collection © TMCP, used with permission. www.methodist.org.uk/artcollection

This painting is a shocking and distressing image of the healing at the pool of Bethesda. It is not the usual sanitised image of Jesus, but instead conveys something of the reality of a place heaving with the stench of disease and suffering. In the midst of this chaotic, mad and broken scene there is hope. God is making all things new: Jesus, through his Body, offers healing, reconciliation and wholeness.

Please pray for: Individuals and situations in desperate need of a touch from Jesus.

Alpha

HOTS (Healing on the Streets)

Outreach initiatives

This year we have heard calls for justice from home and abroad:

Black Lives Matter: Pray that God will rebalance the scales of justice so that every life carries the same value in law and in practice.

Purley Food Hub works to alleviate food poverty locally.

CAP: is expecting there to be an increased need for their services. Pray that debt centre and job club will be able to open again soon

International Needs’ vision is for ‘All families to have access to basic resources, freeing them from hunger, fear and poverty, so that each family member can live a life that allows them to develop their full potential'. Pray for Bulyassi village, where PBC has raised funds to provide water sources, toilets and hygiene education.

Embrace the Middle East Partnering with Middle East Christians to bring healing and hope to all who face poverty and injustice. Pray particularly for the twelve Christian organisations they partner with in Beirut.

BMS world mission takes Christ's love to the world's most marginalised people and least evangelised communities, in desperate, often dangerous, contexts. Pray for them as they work to provide food relief and health support to those in poverty battling Covid-19. CSW, working for a world free from religious persecution, where everyone can practise a religion or belief of their choice. Pray for their advocacy work in challenging world leaders to fulfil their duty to protect religious freedom.

What can we do to cause the scales to tip in favour of the poor?

TAKEN FROM LECTIO365:

Lord, it’s easy to blame everyone else for the world’s injustices but I know that I can be hard-hearted towards the needs of others. I hate human trafficking but then I buy cheap products made in sweat shops without checking their source, and I tolerate a culture that glamorises porn. I claim to care about the poor but I don’t know the names - or the needs - of some of the people in my own street. Forgive my hypocrisy.

Break my heart with the things that break Yours...

God of Justice, I am sorry for the injustices I perpetrate when I am selfish in the ways I shop and vote and live my life, as if these things have nothing to do with the ways I pray and worship and go to church.

Help me to act justly today.

God of mercy, I am sorry, too, for how harsh, merciless and callous my heart can sometimes be towards those who are messing up their lives, when You are always so merciful towards me when I mess up mine.

Help me to love mercy today.

Humble God, I’m sorry for my sense of entitlement and the subtle ways I look down on certain types of people (even though I pretend not to). Teach me to walk humbly, honestly and vulnerably with You today.

Who breaks the power of sin and darkness Whose love is mighty and so much stronger The King of Glory, the King above all kings

Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder And leaves us breathless in awe and wonder The King of Glory, the King above all kings

This is amazing grace, this is unfailing love That You would take my place That You would bear my cross You lay down Your life that I would be set free Oh, Jesus, I sing for all that You've done for me

Who brings our chaos back into order Who makes the orphan a son and daughter The King of Glory, the King of Glory

Who rules the nations with truth and justice Shines like the sun in all of its brilliance The King of Glory, the King above all kings

This is amazing grace…

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain Worthy is the King who conquered the grave... Worthy, worthy, worthy

This is amazing grace… Join-in the song on-line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFRjr_x-yxU

Photo : Pauline Easton

Pray for the UK:

i Wisdom for our government.

i Covid-19 breakthrough for our scientists.

i Skill, strength and safety for our NHS workers.

i Provision and help for families and businesses under pressure.

i Our Royal Family. Pray for the nations:

i For an end to the pandemic.

i Elections: E.g. Belarus (result contested), Mali (coup), USA

i Conflict zones: E.g. Syria, Yemen (civil wars) Hong Kong

In the crushing, in the pressing

You are making new wine

In the soil, I now surrender

You are breaking new ground…

So I yield to You and to Your careful hand

When I trust You I don't need to understand

Make me Your vessel, make me an offering

Make me whatever You want me to be

I came here with nothing, but all You have given me

Jesus, bring new wine out of me…

'Cause where there is new wine there is new power

There is new freedom and the kingdom is here

I lay down my old flames to carry Your new fire today…

Songwriter: Brooke Ligertwood

Join-in the song on-line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbJaM_EneMw

What have we learned from the lockdown season?

How has God been working in us individually, in families and as a church?

Have you felt ‘crushed’?

‘Where there is new wine there is new power.’ Does that thought encourage you?

Jesus said that new wine has to be poured into new wineskins:

“No-one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” Mark 2: 21,22

Are you ready for a new wineskin?

Read the words or follow the link opposite. Turn the song into a prayer for yourself, your family and our church.

Those from among you shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. Isaiah 8:12 NKJV Thank God:

that plans for the Island site have finally been given approval.

Pray:

That we will build for the glory of God and to bless our community.

That God will repair the ‘breach’ between us and those who object to the plans.

That our ministries will lay a foundation for the generations to come.

For God to bless our development partners.

Photo : Pauline Easton

Purley Cross Centre: As the team looks to reopen, please pray for fresh vision that will enable them to support our community in new and exciting ways

Cameo: Would like to reopen soon. Please pray for wisdom to know how to do this safely.

Uniformed Organisations: Groups have kept going virtually during lockdown. Please pray for wisdom in how to re-open.

Bods ‘n’ Tods / Fun Club Both serve the local community and need wisdom to know how to continue supporting the families they are in contact with.

Jigsaws (serving Adults with Learning Difficulties and their Carers in our locality.) Pray for wisdom for the team as they try to maintain contact and prayer support. Many of their friends in Care have found the restrictions on going out and on family visits distressing and confusing.

Qube: After school drop-in. It’s difficult to see how this could operate in compliance with social distancing regulations. Please pray for innovative ways to keep contact with their regular visitors.

Pray that God will bless us as we serve others.

Jesus said: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:14-17

Ghislaine Howard The Washing of the Feet 2004 from the Methodist Modern Art Collection © TMCP, used with permission. www.methodist.org.uk/artcollection

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul” It is well (it is well) with my soul (with my soul) It is well, it is well with my soul Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blessed assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! And Lord haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Photo : Pauline Easton

Join-in the song on-line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndoZkBu_BOo

Maggi Hambling Good Friday: Walking on Water 2006 from the Methodist Modern Art

Collection © TMCP, used with permission. www.methodist.org.uk/artcollection

God says: Do not fear, for I, your Kinsman-Redeemer, will rescue you. I have called you by name, and you are mine. When you pass through the deep, stormy sea, you can count on me to be there with you. When you pass through raging rivers, you will not drown. When you walk through persecution like fiery flames, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you, for I am your Saviour, Yahweh, your mighty God, the Holy One! Isaiah 43:1-3 TPT

No matter how intense the storm or how high the waves, if we keep our eyes on Jesus we can enter His peace.