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The latest posts from the pastor's blog.
Published on Monday December 05, 2022
Why not join in with this year's Nativity Trail at 3pm on Saturday, 17th December?
Take a walking journey around Winslow and visit the home of Mary, hear a shepherd tell their story and meet one of the wise men. Followed by a short Bible story and refreshments.The Nativity Trail is a fun and interactive family event. We start and finish in the warmth of Winslow Bowls Club, where refreshments are provided. The trail itself takes about an hour, and visits 3 locations where you meet some people who tell you about their part in the Christmas story.
MaryMeet the young mother of Jesus, who learned about her key role in history from an angel sent by God himself.
One of the shepherdsWhat must it have been like, in the cold fields outside Bethlehem, to be suddenly confronted by an army of angels! Meet this shepherd and find out!
A Wise Man
These mysterious travellers came from the east, following a star, to find the new born king. Hear his story for yourself!
When: 3pm, Saturday 17th December 2022
Where: Winslow Bowls Club, (By the car park on Elmfields Gate)
This is a FREE event, but please book beforehand
Online: Click here
Phone: 0730 543 7799
Email: colinpoyntz@winslowcf.net
All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Published on Friday June 17, 2022Today I woke early (though not intentionally) and so decided to watch the sun rise over the Sea of Galilee.
Worth it!
After breakfast we set off for Nazareth were we were given a tour of the site where the village farm from the 1st century has been excavated and partially re-created, along with people acting as if they were 1st century Nazarenes.
Today Nazareth is a large, affluent city, but in Jesus's day it was a small village with a communal farm growing wheat for the community, an olive grove for making oil, and a vineyard with wine press. Looking at the environment Jesus grew up in it is easy to see where many of his parables and word-pictures came from.
We then spent some time in downtown Nazareth. The city is 30% Christian and 70% Muslim and so, it being Friday, there was an open air Islamic service going on. Hundreds of men gathered to chant set responses and then they listened to a sermon. I also listened to the sermon but didn't understand anything, so now I know what its like for WCF Sunday by Sunday! Having said that, can you imagine what it would be like to have open air gospel services in Britain every Sunday?
Our last stop was Meggido, which is a key, strategic plain overlooked by a 'tell'. A tell is an artificial hill made up of layers that have been created through history by people building on the ruins of the previous owners. Archeological digs at Tel Meggido have revealed 30 distinct layers, showing just how desirable this particular site was.
What made it so valuable? All trade between Egypt and Mesopotamia had to pass through the plain of Meggido, and whoever held Tel Meggido could charge a road tax!
As a result, Meggido was the location of a huge battle in the 15th century BC between Egypt and an alliance of Cananite kingdoms who were ultimately defeated. The battle was so devastating that in the New Testament the name of Meggido has been modified to Armageddon, and is referenced as the place where the final battle between God and His enemies will take place. The last day of history will come, and the good news is that God's victory is a certainty.
And that's the end of my tour of the Bible lands. It's been an amazing opportunity to fill in so many gaps in my understanding, and to go from reading about something to seeing and experiencing it has been well worth it. It has been a privilege to be here and I'm truly grateful for the opportunity, and to WCF for releasing me to take a Sabbatical so I could come.
I look forward to using the phrase 'when I was in Israel' every sermon from now until the end of my ministry!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Published on Thursday June 16, 2022
The Golan Heights is the area to the North East of the Sea of Galilee. Today we toured in the coach around a number of the significant sites in the area.
We started with Hazor, a fortress which pre-dated Israel's entry into the land. When Joshua led the people across the Jordan and Jericho fell, word got out that they were on the march and so Jabin, the king of Hazor, formed an alliance with the surrounding kings in order to fight against the Israelites. Joshua's army defeated the alliance, then Joshua attacked the fortress of Hazor and burned it down (Joshua 11:1-11). The excavated ruins of the fortress show foundation stones that have cracked due to the intense heat of being burned. The stones above the dark line are later building works on top of the burnt fortress.
Next stop was Dan in the far north. Dan was one of the twelve tribes and was awarded this territory in the North, but then failed to hold that territory, so they had to move down south, to the West of Jerusalem. Part of the problem was that the city of Dan, in the North, became a centre of idolatry.
This is the altar that Jeroboam set up at Dan for sacrificing to one of the two golden calves he made, because the Northern tribes were not able to access the Temple to worship God (1 Kings 12:26-29).
After this we went to Banias, which is a spring and the most important source of the Jordan River. The Jordan has always been incredibly important to the people of Israel in that it is their primary source of water. Banias is also a centre for the worship of Pan, one of the pagan gods that the people of the time looked up to.
We then travelled a short distance to Caesarea Philippi, the town that grew up around the spring of Banias. It is also a town that Jesus visited with His disciples, and has a temple grotto to Pan carved out of the cliff face. It was in this town that Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He is, and Peter said "You are the Christ" (Mark 8:27-30). The penny had finally dropped for Peter.
We moved on to a place on the border with Syria where we could look out and reflect on the tensions that have taken place between between Israel and its neighbours. The Golan Heights used to belong to Syria, but Israel captured the region in 1967. Israel has this incredibly diverse history, giving us the prince of peace, but never seeming to be far from war.
We headed back to Galilee and, after a few members of the group had a swim in the lake (to cool off in the 39 centigrade heat), we went to the Garasenes - which was a gentile area in Jesus's day. We stopped at the spot that is traditionally thought to be where Jesus met the demon possessed man called Legion. The man was in a state of uncontrollable suffering due to possession by multiple demons. Jesus cast those demons out into a herd of pigs, who ran down the slope and into the water. The man was then fine, in his right mind, but the people didn't like this and asked Jesus to leave their region (Mark 5:1-20). Jesus brings blessing, but is not always welcome.
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Winslow Christian Fellowship
Meeting on Sundays:
10:30 at Winslow Public Hall, Elmfields Gate, Winslow, Buckingham MK18 3DG, UK
Administrative Contact:
92 High Street, Winslow, Buckinghamshire, MK18 3DQ
0730 543 7799
