Not really a secret, it is just I am such a boring old fart no-one ever reads it!
These are the thoughts and doings of Glyn Cotterill. Ah but he hastens to add they are definitely not reflected or in any way echoed by his long suffering wife Susan who thinks quite independently!
We were up as normal by 0600 and Sue was opening what few cards came through the post (2 from a total of 5 that were here) and my presents after tea was made, of course! I am sure she will be getting more cards as the day and time goes on?
A surprise present from Lindy arrived on Saturday evening being 2 boxes of lovely flowers which Sue Loved.
The totally unexpected flowers from Lindy and family.
We were expecting Stella and Lainie about 0930 but Stella slept in and arrived at around 1145.
Stella presented Sue with a 7 ring and being 7 different metal necklace which was vice the present that the children were going to present her with being a Thames river trip and ride on the London Eye. Cancelled due to this bleeding virus! Lainie gave her a butterfly and Wii game.
Well these 2 reprobates arrive with gifts through the window.
As you can see the sun has now come out so we decided that we would retire to the garden with coffee and tea for a natter. Glyn came in for lunch about 1315 and Lainie and Stella stayed until about 1330 and went back home.
Yes it is an OWL made by
Stella and Lainie.
Susan and balloon.
We had lunch and watched Songs of Praise and then it was pretty much time for us all to get together via Zoom, that was all 4 of mine, 2 of Sue's being Lindy and Stella. Lisa and some of the grand children, Joe, Emily, Lainie, Karis, Joshua, Natalie plus Michael popped in and Dea just missed us..
The gathering of the clan lasted for nearly 2 hours and then it was time for dinner.
Chinese take away it is and watch number VII of Star Wars.
We need to remind ourselves of the previous two as Andy has bought Sue number IX.
Nina from number 6 arrived on the doorstep with a card and plant which was really lovely of her and Alistair!
Well today I finally turned the heating off and before the end of May as well!
I have also not had a vest on hardly at all this winter, 1) because of hardly going out due to the pandemic and 2) having spent time in hospital having the bypass op so"Nere cast a clout 'till May be out" did not apply to 2020.
It is now over 5 years since this event and I am only adding it now because it has had such a profound effect on my life in Christ that I feel it needs recording.
In April 2015 I went on a weekend kickstart that was run by The Last Reformation and hosted at Holy Trinity Church Leicester. This was a weekend that was to radically change my mind and my thinking so much that it occasioned me to leave the church (Launceston Community Church) that I belonged to and until then was quite happy in. I wandered aimlessly without a church for three and a half years just meeting with like minded folk and going to the occasional 2-4-5 meeting at Central Methodist Church in town. At this point I will add a video of the weekend which may go some way to explain the just how it changed my thinking. Please watch it all the way through before judging it!
Healing was what took me there in the miraculous healing that I was granted by God of the cancer in my throat! This led me on a search that led me to Torben Sondergaard, a minister from Denmark and also he teaches many things but his teaching on healing was the thing that attracted me to TLR which he founded. I will let you make up your own mind about Torben and his teachings but at the end of the day Jesus and God are essentially at the centre of them all!
What caused me to split with Launceston Community Church.
Let me first start by saying that I was so deeply hurt and shocked by the following that it is only now over 5 years later that I feel able to write a balanced account of what happened on my return to my home church!
On my return from Leicester I was so fired up and wanted to get out into the community and tell people about Jesus. Healing them and telling them how he healed and saved me and my life in Him over the many years. Well it was like I hit a brick wall when I went to the leadership (such as it is) to ask for support. In fact it was quite the opposite, I met with hostility and discouragement! Every way I went I was told such things as "Only the leaders of the church are equipped to heal" quoting James 5v14 at me telling me I was not equipped! I was very hurt by this and then to be told that if I did do such silly things as go out onto the streets of this town evangelising and healing I was not to tell people that I went to Launceston Community Church as they wanted nothing to do with it. I remember asking was it not commanded of us in the Bible to go forth and do this I was then told it was not relevant for today's church!!! I remember also that a man named Robin Talbot gave a prophecy back in 2010 just after the church moved from Egloskerry to St. Josephs in town which said..... and I quote.
"Prophecy given to Launceston Community Church in July 2010 by Robin Talbot.
God is giving you a spirit of creativity and expectancy.
Don’t wait for a sovereign move of God to come upon you.
For the Lord is waiting for you to step out in faith.
The Lord tells us to live by faith, to walk by faith, to
perform acts of faith by the Holy Spirit.
Do not hold back in order to be in step with others for I
am calling you to be the pioneer – the advance party, the ones to open up the
way for others to follow.
Be prepared to pay the price of being radical.I’ve not called you to be acceptable, I’ve
called you to be amazing.
Your increase depends upon your hunger for My Presence
and My Glory.
There are people here who know what it is to move in
faith. Release them, respect them - provide them security to move in faith.
Steady the boat to let them step out on water but do not
steady the Ark of God’s Presence when His Spirit moves."
I felt very much that this was a prophecy that included what I was proposing especially the highlighted which was, I believe instructions for the church to support these things. Well I was in no uncertain terms told that "THIS CHURCH DOES NOT BELIEVE IN PROPHECY" To this I was gobsmacked to say the least. A considerable percentage of the Bible, being the word of God consists of prophecy! At this I felt very hurt but also very shocked at what I was being told and after some considerable thought and prayer felt I had option but to distance myself from this unbelief! It only goes to show what level of control a church leadership can have over just what the members of their church believe? It is therefore easy to understand how cults and sects become established because sheep really do tend to believe what shepherds tell them, no matter how erroneous or misguide it is! The things that I can see I was being fed by the leadership of LCC only go to prove this to me! I am now settled in what I consider to be the only God centered church in Launceston, Bridge Church which worships in a warehouse on Pennygillam industrial estate and holds assets with very loose fingers. It is strange times at the moment with the pandemic and everything but it is very much, I believe in God's control and as I am sure will become apparent will turn out for the best. After all Romans 8:28 says, And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. (BSV)
Well after 7 weeks of being stuck indoors, for Sue especially it was a really pleasant change to be able to get out into the fresh air and take a trip to the seaside.
Just after lunch we set out about 1320 and with a little bit of apprehension off we set!
The hesitation I think on my part was because I was not sure whether we would get stopped by the police en route as we were going so far in the car? We need not have worried, we saw not a trace of the law and on arrival at Crackington Haven we parked up and went to the beach for in excess of an hour and it was wonderful just to be out in the fresh air and smelling the sea!
The trip home was quite uneventful coming back around the lanes via Canworthy Water, Splatt and Egloskerry and with so little traffic I think even Stella would have enjoyed it!
