We welcomed Phil Cook, an old friend, back to Thursday Fellowship to kick-off our autumn session.

Phil’s message to us was, “Let’s be salty Christians!”

We spent some time thinking about what salt does:

• It seasons and acts as an appetiser, making things more tasty!
• It heals and cleanses.
• It stops decay, preserving things and preventing things going bad.

Phil brought along a hymn he wrote in 2005 based on Matthew 5 v 13-14 which can be sung to the tune “Tallarn Green” 11 11 11 11 metre (Immortal, Invisible, God only wise.) It communicates so well what Phil wanted to share with us and with his permission we have reproduced the words for your contemplation.

Words copyright – 1st October, 2005 – Rev Philip Cook
Tune Copyright – 24th May, 2002  – Rev Philip Cook

The salt of the earth so the Christian must be
To appetize others, for Christ they must see.
Let none lose their savour to flavour with joy,
Attracting the lost to the Saviour’s employ.

Yes, salt is an agent to cleanse and to heal
Where germs and infection are seen to reveal
The need for such tending the sinner’s deep wound
That purity, wholeness, may truly abound.

The Christian is salt ‘gainst all moral decay
To live for the truth in Christ Jesus the Way
God’s holy commands and His Word to bring nigh,
A goodly, salt influence so to apply.

So, Christian be salt and so help purify,
That standards and morals may always be high;
Bring flavour and cleansing, preventing decay,
“For Christian you’re salt” so Christ Jesus did say.

The light of the world so the Christian must be
Reflecting the Light of the Saviour to see.
Dispelling the night and releasing from fear
The sinner, convicted, in faith to draw near.

We finished by singing the hymn and if you know that tune, you might like to do that yourself!