In the open air

It was our last open air service of the year, but it was good to be together as St James and St Anne's churches to praise the Lord together in St James's Churchyard and hopefully share a bit of Christian cheer with our neighbours.

The musicians from the Rhema Assembly Church, with whom we share the church building, contributed a beautiful song that enriched our worship and testified to our shared faith in Christ. Thank you, Pastor Danny, for organising that.

It was good to have our new curate, Jacob Mercer, preaching on Luke 4.16-21, the occasion when Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah ('the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor....'), and then said 'This passage of Scripture has come true to day in your hearing.'

Jesus was the one who had come as the king, and suffering servant, who gave his life for us on the cross, who brings good news, release for captives, and recovery of sight for the blind. He is the man who can put Bermondsey right, and put each one of us right, as we turn to him.

It was good to praise him in the open air and to conclude together singing about the greatest day in history ('Death is beaten, you have rescued me, sing it out Jesus is alive')