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Mathew Bartlett: Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2011 9:55 AM
God in the Park
A Crusade Report from Pontypool, South Wales, UK  The clouded sky hung as a canopy above a beautiful 150 acre public park in Pontypool, South Wales, as a small group of faithful Christians gathered for the opening ceremony of a three day Christian mission called “God in the Park”. The local mayor had been invited to officially open the mission, and as he did so, those present felt the enormity of what was being attempted.
For in fact, it seemed impossible for the mission to succeed. |
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Mathew Bartlett: Posted on Monday, July 25, 2011 9:27 AM
 As a lover of music, for some time I've wanted our church to get involved in Jazz in the Park, Pontypool, perhaps as a fringe venue. Jazz in the Park has now been re invented as the Pontypool Jazz Festvial 2011, and my idea was to invite a Christian jazz or R&B artist to perform live at the church and share their faith, so, if you like, kill two birds with one stone! Well this year, we've done it! Radio 2's own Rythm & Blues man Paul Jones will perform live in concert with wife Fiona Hendley at Sharon Church on Thursday 8th September at 7pm. |
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Mathew Bartlett: Posted on Monday, January 17, 2011 10:07 AM
It is never my wish to offend people from any religious community, but personally I find the idea of keeping a vial of a dead man's blood to be in completely bad taste. |
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Mathew Bartlett: Posted on Monday, January 10, 2011 11:04 AM
 I suppose Shirley had no luck in love. Certainly, as Mick Jagger croaked, she could get "no satisfaction". She'd had five husbands and a string of other men, and was living with a new partner the day she met the man who would change her life... It was not that her relationships had ever been abusive; her partners were not manipulative - she knew how to stick up for herself! But as each affair had ended, they left an empty feeling inside. Sex had been good, and the money had been helpful, but she needed something more. |
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Mathew Bartlett: Posted on Wednesday, November 10, 2010 6:33 AM
 Following the attack on Sayidat al-Nejat church in Baghdad last week, Athanasios Dawood, Archbishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church, has called upon all Christians to flee Iraq. According to a CNN report (Bharati Naik, 8 Nov 2010), Father Saad Sirop Hanna of Saint Joseph's Church Baghdad commented: "I can understand this bishop. I agree with him from a certain point of view, but I disagree with him from another." Persecution is a reality which has been faced by Christians throughout the last two thousand years, and today more believers than ever before are facing harassment and even violence as a result of their faith. |
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Mathew Bartlett: Posted on Wednesday, November 03, 2010 10:08 AM
It's a Coalition! On 11th May 2010 Britain reached a historic point in its history, as the general election resulted in the first coalition government in 70 years. Nick Clegg and his Liberal Democrat party surprised many by opting to form a government with the Conservatives, led by David Cameron. In the six months since then, Westminster has been made to realise that a coalition is never "the best of both worlds" for any party. It is a government of compromise, rather than a government of unity, and both sides have experienced a few painful changes to their cherished policies. |
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Mathew Bartlett: Posted on Wednesday, November 03, 2010 9:40 AM
US Mid Term Elections 2010 This week's election results mean that reforms planned by US President Barak Obama have suffered a serious set back. Obama's Democratic party lost overall control of the House of Representatives, although they retained control of the Senate. Whoever you voted for, and whatever compromises may be reached between the two parties, it is true that "the government of the people, by the people, for the people" has served our democratic nations well. But democracy will not always be the form of government on earth, for it is not the most perfect. |
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Mathew Bartlett: Posted on Monday, November 01, 2010 10:41 PM
An eye for an eye leaves us all blind... Beloved, do not avenge yourselves... (Rom.12:19) Love your enemies..(Matt. 5:44) During October 2010, Christians in Karnataka, India suffered a number of violent attacks at the hands of a small minority of religious extremists. (Details visitwww.opendoors.org). In such times, it is difficult not to be bitter and seek revenge. But our Saviour gave us a better way. "Love your enemies," he said, "bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. |
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Mathew Bartlett: Posted on Saturday, October 30, 2010 5:00 AM
Wear it Well! The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26). America was shocked to learn of the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by a small minority of its serving soldiers. Whilst wearing the badge of the US army; representing not only the military, but their nation and their president; they disgusted their fellow Americans and disgraced their nation, shaming a force which are held in high regard and affection in free nations of the world. Christians too are men and women who wear a badge and represent their King. |
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