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"Serving God and His People in Whiston for 800 years."

Growing in Faith


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This page is designed to cater for those who wish to gain a greater understanding of the Christian Faith. Please stay in touch because there are many resources in the pipeline that will help you to develop in your walk with Jesus.




10 Days of Prayer: Ascension to Pentecost

(17th - 27th May 2012)

Our church is taking part in this Diocesan event between Ascension and Pentecost. In the above video, Revd Neil discusses what the '10 Days of Prayer' mean at this important time of the year. Further information about this can be found from the Diocesean website by clicking on this link; from where there are further resources available for download in case you haven't picked any up from the back of church.


 

Learning to Pray:

    A straightforward 5-step prayer method.

    Prayer is a cornerstone of our Christian faith. It is often considered to be esoteric, complex and difficult; but is actually little more than a conversation with God.

     

    Not all prayers in the Church of England are given in services, many are spoken privately

 

Five Steps for Speaking or Writing a Prayer:

1. Call upon God - This is the equivalent of saying 'hello' and acknowledging his presence. This opening step is sometimes called an 'invocation'.

2. Linger on God - take the time to understand all that God is and what he has done. There's no need to rush as the basis for EVERYTHING is centred in God. This brings you into step with him.

3. Ask God! Actively seek what you want from God. Do so in the same way you would ask something of someone whom you really trust. He is your friend so you can rely on him with whatever it is you need.

4. Tell God why it is you are asking - what is the purpose, motivation or desired outcome of this prayer.

5. End the prayer. Christians usually call upon the Trinity of the One God as Father, Son and Spirit.

 

Here is an example of such a prayer:

 

(1) Almmighty God (2) all hearts are open to you, all desires known to you; and no secrets are hidden from you. (3) Cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the power of your Holy Spirit (4) so I may perfectly love you and praise your holy name; (5) and I pray this in the name of God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

There are many ways to pray: and we have discussed just one of them on this page. However please click here for more information about prayer; as well as further resources, techniques and support.


Coming Soon:


    • A straightforward 5-step prayer method.
      A diagram of the Christian year.
      A document showing the average week in the life of Whiston Parish Church.
      Some of the basic tenets of Christianity.
      The Creeds.
      Growing in Faith step-by-step.
      The Sacraments
      The Trinity
      Greater Understanding


    • Bible Verse 2:


    (Second week of July 2011)


    There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law - indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.


    Romans 8:1-11

    What sort of seed will you sow?


    Sower -What sort of vines will you grow?-
    -What fruit will you bear?-

    Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

    Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up in choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

    footpath Let anyone with ears listen! Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the words, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
    Floragrowth1