Bible Study Courses

I was a bit disappointed that no-one commented on my report that our Circuit Disciple group had completed our study of the Disciple 4 course, especially as I believe we are probably the first group in the UK to have done so. This is probably because I mentioned it in my post on our Circuit Farewell Service. It could also be because of the current difficulties being experienced by the Methodist Publishing House that necessitates all study materials having to be ordered direct from Cokesbury in America via the Disciple website http://www.cokesbury.com/disciple.

However, I want to draw attention to the tremendous benefits that come from the study of the Disciple Courses - in discipline, in fellowship and, most of all, in personal transformation as we all walk closer with Jesus. It seems very daunting at first to commit to spending 34 weeks in in-depth Bible study (for the Disciple 1 course means covering most of the Bible in nine months), but all who make this commitment speak enthusiastically of the experience. Personally, I found the Disciple 2 course to have the deepest, most lasting effect on my Christian journey, though each course added to the others.

So I would urge you to seriously consider committing yourselves to a Disciple course this year. When a number of members in the same church commit themselves in this way, the effect on the church is quite extraordinary.

But if you really and truly feel that such a long commitment is not for you, please consider whether your house group could follow one of the six short Disciple courses that are now available, covering 8, 10 or 11 weeks. The titles of these are -

Invitation to Psalms
Invitation to John
Invitation to the New Testament
Invitation to the Old Testament
Invitation to Genesis
Invitation to Romans

Also I was surprised to find that after Disciple 4, they list two further 30-week courses -

Jesus in the Gospels and

Christian Believer

I am excited to read about 'Christian Believer' on the Disciple website because it looks to me as though this study could revitalise a church if enough people could be signed up to discover what it is we Christians really believe!

If you are alone in wanting to take a Disciple course, I have good news for you! I understand that, just as blogging and Facebook can form groups of friends, it is now posible to become part of an on-line Disciple group! So do make enquiries about this, if you think this is the way in for you.

Finally, I heard a whisper that our Connexional Team are about to resurrect the resourcing of Disciple courses in the UK. I do hope and pray that this is more than a rumour because the Disciple courses are such a powerful tool to enable earnest, committed Christians to grow. Over to you!

A Psalm of Snow

"Blizzard conditions on the M4. Reading buses suspended. Bristol buses suspended. An overnight snowfall of 10cm (4 inches)in Reading and 20cm (8 inches)on higher ground and in Gloucestershire. More than a hundred schools closed. Seondary schools Kendrick and Reading, Prospect and Hugh Faringdon are closed. Right across the country local authorities are rapidly running out of salt and grit after 4 days of snow, so much so that further supplies will need to be dug out of the ground! The Highways Agency has enough to keep the main roads open but it's a different story for the local authorities. There is a warning of more heavy snow to come today."

This is what greeted me when I switched on to BBC Radio Berkshure early this morning
and I looked outside to a beautiful white winterscape. Among the list of schools closed was Caversham Park Primary School, but I see that Caversham Primary School across the road from me is open, as it was yesterday. It closed on Monday when the first heavy snowfall struck, and I had the joy of seeing and hearing lots of children sledging in the public Balmore Walk that runs across the top of our back gardens. At other times of the year, I enjoy watching children flying their kites up there.

Now, a few hours later, there is a light drizzle of rain and the thaw is beginning, making the pavements very slippery and dangerous. The mothers bringing their children to school were having difficulty if they had younger children in prams. I've just seen the first bus go past my house, but the bus ccompany say that they are running on modified routes to avoid the steep hills that are still very icy. I've been staying indoors to avoid falling but yesterday I had an appointment at a GP clinic and I had to get a taxi because the pavements were like skating rinks.

As I posted earlier, we are expecting to host the National Methodist Youth Brass Band tomorrow for the weekend and, as we listen to the snow bulletins from all over the country, we are wondering what sort of journeys these young musicians are going to have to reach us from their homes all over the country! We are doing all we can to keep them warm and well fed while they are with us, but we hadn't reckoned on such severe weather for their travel. The Traffic Control have just broadcast a warning of some treacherous roads because of black ice, and callers are reporting cars spinning sideways and one said 'I've just seen four people fall down near Sainsbury's'. Yesterday, a meterologist told us that he didn't see an end to this wintry weather until at least St. Valentine's Day - so be prepared!

On Monday,Our Disciple 4 Group meeting was cancelled because some people couldn't get there on ubtreated roads, so one of our members emailed us all this poem that he had written _

A winter psalm


1 Every scintillating snowflake, praises God,
Crystal clear icicles are the work of his hands:
Diamond clad boughs, twinkling in the starlight,
praise the Lord as they dance to the wind’s gentle melody.

2 Snow bedecked roofs and sparkling ice drops,
declare that I am is I am the Lord of all creation.
Crunchy white lawns and frost covered rocks,
Cry out ‘He creates, He reigns, Halleluiah!

3 Every snowflake the work of his hands,
every glacier, ice shelf and crevasse,
created by Him for his delight
says He is Lord of all.

4 Robins and chaffinches squabbling in the snow,
All fed by your hand chirp praise to your Name.
Squirrels and sleepy dormice snuggled down,
are kept warm by the Lord of all Creation,

5 For every atom of your creation;
planed for all eternity.
The vapour of our breath, given to us by the Eternal God,

6 Children built snowmen and the errant snow ball,
created from heaven sent snow flakes, tell out the story of a creating God
Frozen ponds and twirling skaters, toboggans racing down with tumbles and tears
Tell the story of a Creator God who cares.

7 Ice bergs and polar bears penguins and seals
Edelweiss and snowdrops peaking from the snow,
Reflect the glory of the Creator,
the God of all.

8 With every beat of my heart,
All the praise that I can give ,
Will be yours alone,
For as long as I live


Dave Tottingham