We belong to Him - Psalm 100:3. We matter, we have value becasue we are created and redeemed only by God, and knowing this deep down brings an invaluavle sense of identity and belonging.

Things which divide Christians are insignificant in the light of the unifying strength of this identity and belonging. Pastor Sue shows how believers in Christ, who understand that they belong to God, can find an unshakeable hope which helps them step towards God in life's ups and downs. Without this, life's difficult circumstances are mostly likely to drive you away from God.

Joy, Thankfulness, Gratitude. The New Testament teaches the living out of these character traits in every circumstance of life. Pastor Sue looks at the story of Job, who faced hugly painful life circumstances and yet was able to humbly recognise God's goodness in his life.

From the New Testament we are encouraged to reflect on the stories Lazarus and of The Feeding of the Five Thousand.

Jesus gives thanks and a miracle of provision and a miracle of healing happen. Move away from unbelief and into thankful belief and see the difference this change will work in your life.

Pastor Sue uses a story about a styrofoam cup to shed light on 1 John 4:7-8.

The gospel of the life changing love of God, shown to us in Jesus, is woven throughout the message.

You will be encouraged to give your life to Jesus, ask forgiveness for your wrongs and put your faith in God, become His sons and daughters, and then share His love with others.

Asher brings his typical humour to bear on reflections about the meaning of Christmas. From funny stories about a child’s toy giraffe to the an insightful look at the early start to Christmas forced on us each year by commercialism, Asher brings us to the central meaning of Christmas. The coming of Jesus meant God himself had come to earth in human form. The prophets predicted it. The heavens declared it. Humanity was humbled by it. God with us - a promise, a covenant, a life changing, profound and faithful presence with us and in us.

Many many prophecies in the Old Testament of the Bible refer to the coming of a saviour or a messiah. The birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled these prophecies.

In particular Jesus’ birth was a spectacular fulfilment of thousands of years of promises and prophecies. It was a turning point in the history of the world as God was faithful in keeping his covenant promises.

Josh explains experiences of God’s faithfulness as God outworking his divine plan and connecting with our personal stories. He personalises God’s faithfulness and shows that even when life’s circumstances are difficult and we struggle with negative feelings, Jesus is still faithful. We need to align ourselves with the truth.

God is full of surprises. As most parents love to surprise their children and god beyond expectations, God is waiting to bless our hearts and go beyond what we expect. Why do we believe one minute and then doubt the next? The answer to this questions reveals the true state of our heart. Jam,es 1:6 speaks about a person who wavers in their faith in God. If we are not expecting God to surprise us in every situation. As we believe more in the love of God, we will be constantly surprised by him and our hearts will become soft

Matt Madigan - Love - 9th December 2018 by The Grainery Church

Christmas is about hope. Matthew 12:21 talks about Jesus' name birthing hope among people. The hope of Israel in Jesus' day was for a messiah. Like Israel though, our hope for a saviour can be misguided unless we see clearly who Jesus is.

Caleb shows how hope is important, when set on Jesus the saviour, activated by faith and expressed in love. It can free us from condemnation, save us from defeat and giving up in the race of life, or even take away despair and depression.

Ps Sue Irwin - Hope - 2nd December 2018 by The Grainery Church

What are the statistical chances that Jesus was truly the expected Messiah of Israel, the Son of God?

In answering this, Pastor Sue takes us through some of the people God invited, during the first advent, to join in his story in history. She explains how this impacts our story, as God also invites us to join in his story.

The advent stories of the shepherds, the angelic appearances, the annunciation to Mary, the visit of the Magi and the wickedness of King Herod are explained. Pastor Sue shows us how these stories reveal our value in God's eyes, what we have to leave behind in order to join his story and what and how we can contribute to his story if we earnestly seek to follow God's will. The result - fullness of joy