Thursday Fellowship restarted on 3rd September after the summer break and we welcomed our friend Phil Cook, who not only spoke but also played the piano for us. There were 8 of us, with several on holiday and others unwell.

We thought about new beginnings, putting the past behind us and looking to the future (Isaiah 43:18-19). Phil spoke on the ‘Gospel of the Cross’, based on John 3:16 ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life’. He then explained the acrostic of the Gospel – God Only Son Perish Everlasting Life.

He stressed that GOD‘s pure, perfect and holy love is for everyone, a sacrificial love that is so great that it took Jesus, his ONLY SON to the Cross for us. Jesus came in the likeness of a man, in the form of a servant (or better, slave). By believing and trusting in him, we’re saved from PERISHING and so have passed from death to EVERLASTING or eternal LIFE!

What a gift for God to give! We need to exercise trust in God.  He does not want any of us to perish (2 Peter 3 v 9). Phil left us with that lovely thought that the moment we believe in Jesus, we get into the lifeboat and are safe for eternity.

A truly memorable message for our first session.

Grateful thanks to Sue C and Maria for their input this week.