What a difference a bird makes.

Before moving to central London I never realized how much I appreciated birdsong. We often do not value things fully till they are gone. Normally all we hear are some very vociferous gulls who confuse tall buildings with cliffs and aren't too bothered about the seaside, and the ubiquitous pigeons. There is one pigeon who sits on a railing outside my window and coos in a very agreeable way; I am not joining in the current pigeon phobia that seems to be fashionable ('flying rats'). Just use the alternative name of Rock Doves and it casts a different light on things. I occasionally spend a bit of time on a secluded bench in nearby Regents Park and exchange a few words with the local wildlife: nearly tame squirrels, robins that sit on your shoulder if you keep still, superior looking rats and pigeons that are plump with elegant plumage. In the spring the males have amazing colours shimmering on their necks, changing from purple-pink to electric greens in the sunlight.
For the past week or so we have been visited by a little bird that I have not been able to see and we cannot identify but it sings! It sings all day and its song can be heard up and down the street. It has a short ascending song that lifts our hearts and breaks a bit of God's creation into this man made environment- the dark canyons of Mammon succumb to the song of a bird.

Is the blog a tyrant?

Having started this, and seeing it looks quite nice and seems to be a good way of communicating, I am realizing that one has to keep writing things in it otherwise people won't look at it. All of which is fine when there are newsworthy things happening, however, just now things are running pretty smoothly: all sorts of people come to the Centre and get helped in a variety of ways. The only remarkable thing is that we are here, keeping going and seeing God blessing us daily. It is all exciting and amazing but it doesn't make for good copy.
Well, keep visiting this site to see what happens next.

Faith=substance.

Since my last post about growing faith for finance for the work here we have had two very high amounts of congregational giving at our Sunday meetings, substantial lettings income, a grant from a Catholic trust and a good donation from the John Lewis Partnership.
As Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China, said;'God's work done in God's way will never lack God's provision.'

Growing Faith.

When Tim and I were at a meeting for the voluntary sector some weeks ago we were asked to stand up if we were sure of our funding for one year's time. Out of a group of about 150 people there were three of us - I seem to remember the other guy represented some government outfit. A great strength of Jesus Centres is that we are not dependant on the whims of the Establishment but as we look to God for our supply we are free to put our efforts where we perceive need rather than what is the current media focus.
We have annual budgets and on paper we are forecasting a significant deficit for this year but I have faith that we will pay our way and in the future move into over-flow so that the work in other places can expand.
Will your add your faith to ours and agree that LJC will balance its books in 2010?