What does it look like to live in union with the people around you? How could you make a change in your life to bring about peace and wholeness? When we think of peace we think of the absence of war, times of tranquility and calm. But peace isn’t an absence, it’s a wholeness. Living at peace and harmony with others and our environment takes effort. It isn’t going to happen on its own.

Are you carrying a grudge? Who are you struggling to get on with? The call to action to ‘love one another’ is the core message of the Bible. Love can sometimes be thought of as a feeling - and in a sense that’s true - but love is a choice we have to make each time we think, act and speak. When we choose to love those around us we start to see them as God sees them. Love helps us frame each decision we make.

Looking back at the start of Autumn 2021, where have you noticed God this year? How have you changed this year? The time that has gone before us has been like no other. We’ve experienced a global pandemic that has turned the world on its head but how has God been working in our lives over the last 18 months? We have a fresh opportunity to reflect on God’s goodness and spring forward into an exciting new season with Jesus.

On Vision Sunday we outline the vision for the coming academic year. This is not to be missed for anyone who considers themselves part of the Open Heaven Church family. Join us as we hear from the senior leadership team about how and where our finances have been invested, and how your giving could benefit the church, our community and ultimately expand the Kingdom of Heaven here in Loughborough as we continue to make disciples who establish Heaven on Earth.

When do you feel most loved? How would it feel to be truly loved? What could you do to love better?

Love is an intense feeling of deep affection. To truly know love is to truly know God. Love is His language, His every interest and action is fuelled and driven by love. God loves each and everyone one of us. We’re His children, He longs to restore us to full relationship with Him. He also models for us how to love others in practical ways. Love lifts our eyes from a selfish, restricted view of life and helps us instead to see the ways in which others need help. To be loved by God is the greatest gift, and to love like God is the greatest action.

Have you felt in need of help lately? How does it feel to know that Jesus intercedes and advocates for us? What can you do to draw near to Jesus in response to his movement towards you? We are made right with God not simply by doing good acts consistently, but once we accept the fact that Jesus has already selflessly done this for us with his act of love on the cross. How can we get our heads around this undeserved grace, that not only affects our past actions but also those to come too? It is a reflection of Jesus’ heart for us that he continues to intercede for us. It is a statement of his encouragement, affirmation and solidarity.

What are you hoping for? Do you have hope for a better future?

Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen. Some people believe that ‘it’s the hope that kills you’, but a hope in God is one that enables you to keep your head up and look forward to all that God has planned. Hope is rooted in truth and experience. We’ve seen God do wonders before, and He’ll do them again - even when situations look at their most bleak. A personal hope in what God has to come for humanity allows us to see the best in people and situations, and have a heart that is broken for redemption and restoration.

What am I putting my faith in? How would it feel to be valued for my faith rather than my work?

Faith is having complete trust and confidence in someone or something. When it comes to God, faith means trusting what He says about us is true - believing that by sending Jesus to die on the cross we can experience a full relationship with Him because our sins have been forgiven unconditionally. The Christian faith therefore allows us to experience complete freedom in life, rather than ‘just a set of rules’. Faith is a free gift and is on offer to all, it’s the first stop on the road when it comes to life changing transformation.

When did I last experience peace? What do I need to do for my soul to find rest? How can we be gentle and humble with others? Jesus only tells us once in the four gospels about his own heart: “I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”. Typically in the New Testament, humility is referred to not as a virtue but in the context of poverty or being weighed down by life circumstances. The humility of Jesus means we can draw close to him. Jesus is accessible and available to each one of us.

What are spiritual gifts? What’s my contribution to the Kingdom? At Open Heaven we have five values and the starting letter of each value spells the word grace. Our final value is empowerment. We believe that everyone in the church is gifted by God in different ways and we are committed to spotting and drawing out the gold in each person. Every person carries the good news of Jesus with them into their places of work and leisure, their households and neighbourhoods. Every person is equipped by the Holy Spirit with gifts to enable them to make their unique contribution to the Kingdom of God.