10.00 am via zoom at Cathays led by Rev Alexis Mahoney.

10.30am Communion Service @ Cyncoed  led by Rev. Kofi Amissah and also on zoom.

If you wish to attend in person please book by telephoning 029 2039 3439  by 12pm 2 days prior to the service (leaving a message if no-one is available) or by emailing cyncoedmethodistchurch@gmail.com.

If you wish to attend via zoom you can obtain the zoom codes in the same way.

PRUNED TO BE FRUITFUL

Last week we reflected on Jesus’ image of the relationship between the vine, the
branches, and the farmer (John 15:1-8). Jesus emphasised that God as the farmer
prunes the brunches in two ways: ‘He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.
Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit’ (John 15:2). Thus,
God the farmer separates the unfruitful branch from the vine to allow the fruitful
branches to enjoy more nourishment to bear more fruit. But he also cuts back the
fruitful branch to be more fruitful.

One of the things that God has used the COVID-19 pandemic to draw our attention to
is the need to be pruned both in our own individual Christian lives and in the life and
mission of the church. As we gradually take steps into reopening and starts to settle
in what could be a new normal, we need to prayerfully reflect on our relationship with
God and our worship life. Did lockdown and restriction give you the opportunity to be
closer to God in prayer, study of his word and in fellowship? If so, what made this
possible? Was it that your time was freed to do more with and for God because you
cut back some activities and changed some routines? If that is the case, then maybe,
God is speaking to you to allow him to prune those activities and lifestyle out of your
life so that you can continue to abide in him and be more fruitful. As the church of
Christ, we need to evaluate, reflectively and prayerfully, how we have done things
differently, how it has impacted on our life and mission and whether, going forward,
there are traditions, activities and behaviours that God is cutting back so that we can
focus our energies on his mission.

The implication of Jesus’ statement: ‘You have already been cleansed by the word
that I have spoken to you’ (John 15:3) is that the cleansing process is the pruning that
God does, and the word of God is the cleansing agent. You are already cleansed –
you are already pruned, you have already been cut back to be fruitful, because of the
words I have spoken to you… This calls us to go back to God’s eternal word. We need
to spend more time meditating on God’s word and use it to evaluate our life and
ministry as a church. In so doing, we will be like the tree planted by the streams of
water. We will yield our fruit in season. Our leaves will never fail nor wither. In
everything we do, we shall prosper