The stories of warfare in Numbers are as shocking as those in our news feeds – and they are meant to be. These stories are often used to criticise trust in God but those criticisms ignore the context of the stories and forget that the Biblical God is involved in our world as it is. War is part of who we are and God deals with us as we are and in this, we find his goodness requires justice, his mercy requires atonement, his love requires restitution – but then, so do we. These stories cast a long shadow through the Bible and church history into our own time for they summarise the only way God’s people have ever been defeated – by false belief that produces faithless lives. Our services this week are at 10 am (prayer & praise) and 5 pm (communion) – it would be great to welcome you.