Resurrection Hope
By Gerry Straker, 13 Apr 2020Everyone’s hopes have been dashed in all sorts of ways whether that’s going away, enjoying the sunshine, or eating lunch with friends. This coronavirus seems to know no boundaries and no borders. Country, class, colour, clan, culture or creed make no difference. And some people’s hopes...

Serving during Coronavirus
By Gerry Straker, 10 Apr 2020On Good Friday, we think about Jesus the Servant King (Mark 10:45). Jesus’ whole life is serving his death is serving and his rule is serving as he blesses his subjects. And we are to be servants, slaves of all. That is true greatness. So: ‘Do...

God’s gift of technology
By Gerry Straker, 06 Apr 2020Technology is everywhere; it is utterly inescapable. I am writing this on my desktop computer with a bluetooth keyboard on a desk I put together made by Ikea, under electric light, in a house with a roof, and I am suspended 2 and a half...

Mark 15:29-39 Reflection
By Gerry Straker, 05 Apr 2020Right now, it can feel like the world is against us, but Jesus really did have the world against him – even those crucified with him, mock him (32)! Mark’s recorded some of what was said to teach us. The insults are ironic (with irony, the...

Why we sing
By Jon Lindsay, 04 Apr 2020I really miss meeting with my church family.I really miss eating with my church family.I really miss singing in my church family. When the elders ‘met’ to discuss what church would look like in the age of a pandemic, singing was one of our non-negotiables. Why?...

Making the most of the times II
By Gerry Straker, 03 Apr 2020Yesterday, we were reminded that we want to make the most of the times. Here are some of the practical ideas from Wednesday night along with a few new ones. Obviously, we need to do our very best to follow government advice. We're to stay at...

Making the most of the times
By Gerry Straker, 02 Apr 2020Do you remember before the coronavirus? Can you remember driving? Can you remember the Morecambe Prom? Can you remember there used to be something called ‘sport’? Well at Church by the Bay, before the coronavirus hit we were thinking about the first step to Church growth. Each of us...

Dealing with Disappointment
By Ben and Caz Petersen, 31 Mar 2020‘If we as a family are making more time for Jesus, he will help us make sense of these strange days we’re living through, he’ll help us feel less disappointed about what we’re missing out on and more excited about what he has done for...

Planning time
By Steve Sammons, 30 Mar 2020I love to plan, I love thinking about what the future holds and I love to think about what I’m going to do in light of that. And these things I’m going to do, I’ll be able to do because I’m organised enough to plan...
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Prayers of Thankfulness
By Gerry Straker, 29 Mar 2020We’ve been thinking about the first thing we should do in response to the coronavirus. In a time of crisis, we should pray. That’s what Jesus does. In a time of judgement, we should pray prayers of repentance. That’s what God’s people do. We’ve also seen that...