To be a Christian is to walk daily with Jesus, the one who in his death took upon himself the sin and suffering of the world, and in his resurrection invited us to share in his new life.
In him we are offered the gift of friendship with God, and we come to him as we are, with all our flaws – sins we have committed ‘through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault,’ as we say at the Eucharist.
But we do not stay that way. Forgiveness is just the beginning, and it leads to transformation, as God shapes our lives and characters, making us more like Christ – channels of God’s love in the world. In him we are promised eternal life, and it begins now.
How do we come to God?
We come to God with a simple trust. Whatever gap exists, and whatever barriers threaten to separate us from his love, he has already bridged in Jesus. Even the simplest prayer, such as that prayed by a tax collector 2,000 years ago in Palestine, can bring assurance that we are accepted in Christ:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
have mercy on me, a sinner.
The Christian Life
There are milestones in the life of a Christian, and you are welcome to mark them among your fellow Christians in the parish of Prescot.
BAPTISM – When our parents bring us to be baptised as children, we receive God’s promise of new life. That even a baby can receive this gift reminds us that the love of God does not depend on us, but entirely on God’s grace. If you were never baptised, you may make that decision for yourself as an adult.
CONFIRMATION – The apostles laid their hands on new Christians and asked God to send his Holy Spirit to empower them, and so today a bishop lays hands on the baptised as they put their baptismal promises into action. At St Mary’s and St Paul’s we run an annual confirmation course, culminating in a special service to mark this important new stage of your life in God.
HOLY COMMUNION – Jesus offered his body and blood for the sins of the world, and he makes it real to us anew when we take the bread and wine. This is the central act of the service known as the Eucharist (or to some as the Mass), which we celebrate at 10am each Sunday.
Read more about the sacraments, such as Baptism and the Eucharist, and the Christian life by downloading these free leaflets (courtesy of Gospel Imprint):
- Baptism
- The Eucharist (or Holy Communion)
- What difference does the Eucharist make in our lives?
- How can I pray?
- Confirmation
Please feel free to chat to one of our clergy about receiving baptism or confirmation.