Musing on Music and Appreciating Achievement

The place of God in creative brilliance entered my mind when listening to music by John Rutter over Christmas.

There are some who have the genius to compose, write or choreograph; others who have the genius to interpret and perform great works; still others who have the gift to appreciate perfection and finally the ones like me who struggle to create, deliver or appreciate. However one saving grace may be the ability to strive, commit and work hard.

As Winston Churchill said 'Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm'. So I guess it's OK to struggle and it's OK to fail. It was perseverance that mattered to the Greatest Briton of the last millennium.

As I’m sure you’ve seen the Christmas Appeal raised £2010, before 1st January 2010 and by 15th January we are at £2,307.29 before Gift Aid.

Carolling around the Pubs
Many thanks to the composers and authors; Mendelssohn, Charles Wesley, Christina Rossetti et al., the carollers and the pianist, the soloist and backing group and most of all the listeners and donors. The total collected was £510.05.

We also must say a huge thank you to the Stanley Pub Quiz Team who very kindly gave £170 to the Appeal. Take God’s word to the people and look at the marvellous effect.

The Christmas Box to the Spire
We can call the venture a resounding success as the amount raised is a staggering £1,627.24. This is truly awesome. We have achieved greatness here, due to people's creativity, their dedication at manning, or should we say womanning the Christmas stockings and the generosity of you the congregation. Very many thanks to you all and didn’t the porch look pretty!

We know that St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is being exemplified all over the world each and every day; just look at the team efforts that are saving lives in Haiti right now, but isn’t it differently wonderful when you feel it happening right on your doorstep? Our Building Fund is slowly and surely growing. People in Eccleston and St.Helens are talking about it and putting their hands in their pocket.

The message is out!