Dear Holy Dusters

Messiah. Then, when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia (remember, they’d stayed behind in Berea to help establish a church there), he devoted himself completely to preaching. Some of the Jews like Aquila and Priscilla believed but mostly they were abusive and obstructed him. So, as he had done so many times before, he took the Message of Jesus to the non Jews.

One night, Jesus spoke to Paul in a vision. He told him not to be afraid and to go on preaching “…for I am with you and no-one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” Paul would recall these words when, as was entirely predictable, the Jews brought him before Gallio, the pro consul of Achaia, claiming that he was persuading people to worship in ways contrary to the law. Gallio didn’t give Paul the chance to speak; he dismissed the case as a matter of religion and nothing to do with him.

We are re-starting the church cleaning rota and so I shall be approaching you all again during the next few months. As always, if the date is not convenient, please try to swap amongst yourselves and please let me know if there are any problems.

On the floor, just between the blue and red carpets in St Mary the Virgin church, there is a brass plaque with the following inscription which may give you all some inspiration! Emily Frances Paice Church cleaner for 25 years 1911-1936 This also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Paul stayed in Corinth for around 18 months then he sailed with Aquila and Priscilla to Ephesus in modern day Turkey. He spent a short time there preaching the Message of Jesus in the synagogue and the people wanted him to stay longer. But he felt he had to get back to Jerusalem and so he declined, promising to return later for a longer stay. He sailed to Caesarea and went from there to Jerusalem and then on to Antioch, his home base. Because of all the competing religions and the temptations that abounded, Corinth was a tough place to be a Christian. So when Paul left them, there was a degree of backsliding and the emergence of different factions within the church. This distressed Paul greatly and he wrote several letters of admonishment and encouragement, two of which are included in the New Testament.

Next month – One last time

Thank you all very much, Christine Finch