Felixstowe Methodist Church

30/10/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Christine O’Neill

World City Day

October 31st is World Cities Day, designated by the UN General Assembly. It is an opportunity to duck round the pumpkins and promote the international community’s interest in global urbanisation, push forward cooperation among countries in addressing the challenges of urbanisation and contribute to sustainable urban development around the world. The World Health Organisation joins the UN in observing this day recognising health and well-being as an integral part of sustainable and inclusive urbanisation. Urban health is an area that requires tackling the triple key public health concerns of non- communicable diseases, infectious diseases and injuries/inter-personal violence prevalent in cities.

Why choose this day out of the 365 days of the year? David Harvey was born on this day in 1935 and he studied how cities evolve. When they grow, environmental resources shift unevenly across communities. He emphasised that cities historically emerge from the concentration of surplus products. Under capitalism, he suggests that this surplus is controlled by a minority, making urbanisation a class phenomenon.

This interested me as I have just been reading about the Tower of Babel in Genesis – the first mention of a city in the Bible. The story primarily symbolises human pride, the attempt to achieve greatness apart from God and, as a side effect, explains the origin of diverse human languages.

This doesn’t mean that all cities are disadvantageous. Urbanisation may enhance economic opportunities, access to essential services, technological progress, social cohesion, and resource efficiency, making cities dynamic centres of growth and innovation. It’s human pride and self-glorification, seeking independence from God and attempting to secure greatness for themselves that God takes issue with.

On this World Cities Day, may we thank God for the diversity and magnificence of the cities of our world. May we celebrate the economic opportunities, technology, essential services and resource efficiency they promote. May we pray for greater social cohesion and that individuals won’t be lost or hidden in the enormity of the estates Most importantly, that God will be glorified and the people living there will recognise His greatness.

If you have any contributions for thought of the day, please send them to: [email protected]

29/10/2026

29/10/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by William Glasse

What’s a saint?

(Gustave Doré illustration from Dante's Inferno)

Read:
‘What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?’ (Psalm 8:4)

Consider:
We are approaching All Saints’ Day. But first comes the evening before it: Halloween, or All Hallows’ Eve. Although its name is Christian, modern Halloween has become largely secular and increasingly prominent in popular culture.

It is often associated with the old belief that, on this night, the boundary between the living and the dead grew thin and spirits roamed the earth. Today, such ideas are more often the stuff of costumes, stories and entertainment.

In his poem The Dream of Gerontius, which Sir Edward Elgar later set to music, John Henry Newman includes a chorus of demons. These dispossessed spirits ask, “What’s a saint?” and answer their own question with scorn.

Elsewhere in the poem, the angel presents a very different vision: saints are “children of grace”, and the redeemed are drawn towards the holy presence of God. This is the opposite of the demons’ restless bitterness.

So, what is a saint?

Scripture declares that every human being is made in the image and likeness of God. This is stated in Genesis 1:26–27, reaffirmed in Genesis 5:1 and 9:6, and echoed in James 3:9. A saint is not uniquely the image of God, for that dignity belongs to every person. A saint is someone in whom God’s image is being renewed and God’s grace is becoming visible.

Sainthood is therefore not reserved for an exceptional few. In the New Testament, “saints” can mean all God’s people. God’s grace is freely offered to all, and through Jesus Christ redemption is offered to all and received by faith.

However we choose to respond to Halloween, let us keep sight of this: God’s redeeming love reaches out to all. We need not be ruled by fear of restless or tormented spirits, for our hope rests in Christ.

We are human beings, made in the image of God, and God cares for us—now and beyond death.

Pray:
Redeeming God, this Halloween, amid all the light-hearted entertainment, help me to remember that fear, restlessness and bitterness do not have the final word. Thank you that, through Jesus Christ, your redeeming love is real and reaches into the world in which I live. Help me to trust in that love and to reflect it in my daily life. For this hope I give you thanks, today and always. Amen.



If you have any contributions for thought of the day, please send them to: [email protected]

28/10/2026

Every week, we publish a 10 minute service to help you relax, refresh and renew. Make yourself a drink and join us at a time to suit you by clicking the following link : https://bit.ly/3rKggKa

28/10/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Judy Steward

While I was writing last week's "thought" about inheritance my daily Bible reading notes took me to Matthew Chapter 20 and verses 1 - 16. In this parable a landowner hires labourers early in the morning and they work all day, being joined later by labourers who are hired at 9am at 3pm and at 5pm. When it came for the time to be paid, they all received the same amount, the going daily rate. Those who had worked all day, suffering the heat of the midday sun, grumbled and said it wasn't fair - they should surely receive more than those who only worked for 1 hour? The landowner explained that he wanted to be generous and give away what he chose from his own resources

I believe this parable has much to say to us about our Christian inheritance. Those of us who were brought up in the church, and have served God all our lives, may feel that we should be specially valued in God's kingdom. We have learned to do things in particular ways; we feel very at home in the church and may find the behaviour of newer converts somewhat challenging and even inappropriate. They may have lots of tattoos, pop out for a cigarette during the service, do things on Sundays that we have never done. If we have worked hard for God all our lives, are we not more precious to him, and deserving of having things done our way?

This parable reminds us that anyone who comes to faith in Jesus as God's son, and embarks on the Christian life, at any stage in their life, will be welcomed by God, whose heart is to give generously of his grace and mercy. We who are his long serving disciples have a rich inheritance, but we don’t have a monopoly and we have to learn to accept those who do things differently from us. One of the thieves who hung beside Jesus on the cross repented of his criminal ways as he hung there, and said to the other thief, " Do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong". Then he said, "Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom" and Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you today you will be with me in Paradise". The thief did not have a long Christian career, nor a chance to learn about discipleship, but he did have the opportunity to turn his life around at the end of his days and enter into a glorious inheritance prepared for him by our God of abundant mercy and grace.

Prayer. Thank you, Father God, that you are a generous and merciful provider to all who come to you in repentance and trust. Help us to rejoice that we have a glorious inheritance, whether we have followed you for a long or a short time on this earth.



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27/10/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by David Stone

HELPS

One of the many benefits of retirement is sharing breakfast with my wife, followed by reading a few Prayer Guides and daily Bible reading and notes. One of the former was a Prayer Card with the same request for each day of the week, and was used in a previous TFTD.

Sunday’s prayer included “Thank God for the lives that have been transformed through the work of our partners”. This was followed recently with our Bible reading from a few verses from 1 Corinthians 3. In verse 5, Paul asks, What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each his task.

Many years ago, I heard a talk by an actor who had become a Christian. He stood at the front of the church, held his closed Bible and quoted about 20 verses of John chapter 1. During his talk, he said, “There is no need to be jealous of anyone’s gift”, and I thought, “It’s all right for you to say that!”

Of course, we need different gifts within the church, as Paul says later in chapter 12, “The Spirit distributes them (spiritual gifts) to each one, just as He determines”. Depending on the version of the Bible used, one of the gifts that I appreciate is “helps”. Of course, we should support and be grateful for pastors, teachers, evangelists, elders and deacons, etc. It was said of one Christian, “He seems to see things that need doing, that no one else notices.”

In our church, I am grateful for those who undertake tasks that would probably be noticed only if they hadn't been done. And maybe we can all use the gift of encouragement should we notice what the “helpers” have done.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you that we are not called to undertake every responsibility in the local church, but are grateful for those who help and serve you in various ways. AMEN.

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26/10/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Liz Cope

Babbling

My daughter-in-law has just sent me a short video of my 13month granddaughter. She can clearly be heard saying, “bye bye” and “dada.” She then attempts to say “Billy” – yes you’ve guessed it, Bill the boxer! But when it comes to “mama” she just looks at her mum, and laughs and replies “nah!”

This sort of babbling is entertaining, (I’ve watched the video many times with a smile on my face), it’s cute and it’s important in normal childhood development. It indicates my granddaughter can hear, she can mimic noises and can associate sounds with what she sees. It is the rudimentary beginning of complex language and communication.

The Bible has several references to babbling, mostly in a negative context. In Proverbs 10 v19 “sin is not ended by multiplying words but the prudent hold their tongues.” In Matthew 6 v 7 Jesus instructs his disciples on prayer, “do not keep babbling like pagans for they think they will be heard because of their many words”. And in 2 Timothy 2v16 “avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.”

Whereas for my granddaughter, it is a normal and essential part of her developmental milestones, for us as adults mindless unintelligible babbling is meaningless, simply repeating words for the sake of something to say is unhelpful.

Hearing the words “bye bye”, “dada” signify an obvious meaning, clear communication.

What sort of language do we use- mindless chatter or Christian witness, malicious gossip or simple words of encouragement?

Prayer: Merciful Father, as we listen to the babbling of a toddler, help us to develop the language of love. Forgive us for the times when our babbling has been meaningless, or when the words we have used have hurt. May all that we say speak of your grace and love. Amen

If you have any contributions for thought of the day, please send them to: [email protected]

25/10/2026

Rev. Saul Tadzaushe brings us this weeks recorded sermon. The sermon can be viewed by clicking the following link https://bit.ly/3cpjlty.

25/10/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Rev Steve Mann

The Last Dodos



Had the last dodos

seen what was coming,

would they have wised up?



Would they have

clung to life;

sacrificed innocence;

developed mistrust;

embraced cynicism;

and, in the world’s eyes,

avoided becoming

a watchword for stupidity?



This world

where wisdom is foolishness

and life is death.


© Steve Mann, 2026



Jesus asks his disciples to be as shrewd as serpents whilst remaining as innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16).

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13).

Go on being gentle. Go on trusting. Go on hoping. Go on persevering. Go on loving.

GO ON LIVING.

Prayer: Jesus, you modelled all of that for us. Give us the strength of your Spirit that we might live life your way. Amen.


If you have any contributions for thought of the day, please send them to: [email protected]

24/10/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Lindsey Hanekom

www.ellel.uk

A Missing Key?

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
2 Timothy 3:16, NIV

It seems to be one of life’s strange phenomenons; that you find the odd key lying around and you have no idea what lock it is for! It must have a reason for being there, I mean, no one makes a key without a lock for it to work in.

This happened to me a while ago and I was loathe to throw the seemingly useless key away. So I put it in a safe place in case I ever found a lock without a key. Years down the line I find the missing lock – it was for my suitcase, which I haven’t used the lock on for a long time. Then came into play another of life’s phenomenon – that mysterious ‘safe place’ that can never be found again! I hunted high and low, looking in every nook and cranny that I thought likely, possible, unlikely and downright stupid… never to discover the elusive key.

It strikes me that this is how we can be when reading the Bible. We read something, know it is of some significance but can’t quite figure out how or why. But this is when we have a choice – do we throw it away from our minds or do we try to store it in a ‘safe place’ in our hearts in case we discover its significance later in life.

It is very easy to read the Bible and disregard anything that we deem as irrelevant to our lives here and now, but this verse tells us that all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful. As we read the Scriptures, let us not limit our hunger by our human understanding or the immediate application of it.

The truth is, even if we can’t seem to find the immediate significance in what we read, it will eventually make sense and may even be important later in our lives. If we know the key is there somewhere, we have a Helper to guide us in our search for it: the Holy Spirit longs to reveal more of the Father through the Word. Let’s allow Him to do that so that we can grow and be strong in Him.

Prayer
Father God, thank You for Your Word, which is all useful. Help me not to disregard any of what I read but to store it in the depth of my heart. Help me to understand all of Your Word, through the power of Your Holy Spirit that I may grow strong in You and remain in you forever. Amen.

If you have any contributions for thought of the day, please send them to: [email protected]