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Welcome to our website for the

Three Valleys Team Ministry

 

One of the things I find very difficult to do is to write original and new thoughts for the website page. I think it must be my Lenten Penance to find something new to say for Easter (except that I believe Lent is a time for preparation more than a time of sorrow). Part of the reason I find it hard because I am writing these articles to a very wide spectrum of opinion and expectation. Some people want a a new thought that moves them, some expect ideas that are educated but otherwise irrelevant to real lives and are happy to be confirmed in that view, whilst some are just mildly interested in what I have to say but do not want anything too "heavy". Strangely for this supposedly secular society it appears that many people do read clergy articles in our magazines and on this web site and would miss them if they did not appear. In fact, one editor told me that the clergy piece is often the most read item in her magazine!

 

So to try and appeal to all of you here goes...!

 

I belive that the Christian message is largely misunderstood. It is often suggested that Christianity is all about rules - do's and don'ts. Actually, it is about joy, happiness and the fact that everything can be made right with God through his Son Jesus Christ (see Easter Story for more details). Jesus himself said I come to give you life and to make your burden light.  Unfortunately, surprising number of people appear to think that Jesus came to make our lives harder and more miserable. In my view every Church service should have the elements of a party about it. Evidence suggests that the early Church services from about 80AD or so did indeed emphasise the celebratory aspect of a church service and were very different from our modern perceptions of worship.

 

People go to Church quite simply because God asks us to and because when we do he puts something back into our lives which makes those lives better, stronger, easier, more fulfilling and happier.  The Easter resurrection is our guarantee of this.

 

Believe me when I say, God asks everyone. Why not listen to God's request to you?

 

Not a bad message for Easter is it?

 

Happy Easter

 

 

 

 

Tony Gilbert

 

Team Rector

 

 

 I hope that you will find plenty of useful

 and interesting information in here. 

    

 

 

The Reverend Tony Gilbert

and

Tony with his wife Nicola