Tapton Church Blog

Today our leader was Rev, Chris Stebbing from St.Lukes Lodge Moor

Hallam Churches Together pulpit swap day

Readings :  Isaiah 62    John 2  The wedding at Cana

He started by telling us of a wedding he had been asked to conduct between a Jew (The bride) and a catholic.   At first he had wondered if he could do the wedding and then he thought Jesus was a guest at the wedding in Cana and it would have been a Jewish wedding and so the wedding went ahead with the bride’s father  a Rabbi – sharing the service with Rev. Stebbing,       at St.Lukes.

At Cana  Mary must have had some responsibility for the wine   we can assume that by this time Joseph had died and so there on her own with Jesus.  When she notices the wine is running short she asks her son for help   telling the servants to do as he asks   as a result the water in 6 huge jars is turned into wine.   We see from this that Jesus :  Has power over materialistic things  – He has compassion  – He responds to requests  (via prayer)  – He provides more than enough  –  He provides the best.                            His disciples believed in Him  –  do we ?

Leaders : Fulwood Preaching Team

Psalm 46

2019 is here  what has it in store for us ?  There are optimists and pessimists.       In time of trouble who would you turn to ?  Everyone needs someone to turn to –  God is our shelter,     God is our friend always ready to help in times of trouble.     In Psalm 46   we read “God is our refuge and strength  an ever present help in trouble   The Lord Almighty is with us”

Led By Rev Suzanne Nockels

Readings;  Gen 1:1  Mtt 24:35  Rev 21:1  Is 65:17  Gen 28:10  John 1:51

Suzanne asked us to draw how we imagine Heaven.  This led to discussion what the bible tells us about heaven.

Why do we think of heaven above?  Is Heaven a parallel universe?

We considered Jacob’s dream of a stairway to heaven and from John how Jesus is our way to heaven, so coming closer to Jesus brings us closer to heaven.

Our role is to highlight the Kingdom of Heaven and how we can feel heaven through the joy of worship with others.

Led by Rev Suzanne Nockels

Reading Philippians 2

We were posed with two questions – from a list of some recipients of New Year Honours, who did we feel were deserving and who else would we wish to see added to the list?  We then shared memories of awards we had received.

Jesus Christ served us and we honour Jesus for what he did. He became a servant and humbled himself even unto death. God exalted him to the highest plain.

Suzanne played out a sketch as a servant to the wise men – a bag person.

Why were the wise men following a star to find a new king/leader? They travelled miles to different lands and people, who no doubt thought the Wise men also looked different.

Would Herod have received an honour these days?

Finally a the end of our journey, what a surprise when we arrived at the stable, not a palace. The Wise men trusted the star and when they arrived they knelt before the baby Jesus and presented their gifts.

We all have gifts, what would we offer in our service to God?