Letter from Jon, February 2026
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Phil 1:6
Dear Liberty Family
This is one of my favourite verses from the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Philippi. Last Sunday our focus was on the three identity statements that have become an integral part of who we are as the Liberty family, but also who we are becoming. Just as a reminder (because we all need regular reminders!) these are:
· Christ-centred community
· Mission-shaped community
· Spirit-filled community
These statements speak to our identity as a community of Christ followers, but the more I think about them, the more I realise that they not only speak to our identity, but they also help to form our vision. What do I mean by that? Well my message from last week I entitled 'Who we are and who we are becoming'. Just like the kingdom of God in our midst there is the 'now', ie what we see manifest right now, today, and there is the not yet, ie that which is still to come – something more glorious and beautiful and powerful which we have yet to experience, which forms our future hope as believers.
As I look at Liberty Church right now I can see these identity statements forming in us, but we are not perfect and we have a long way to go. I look at my own life and I know that there are times when all I want is Christ, all I want is his Spirit and all I want is to fulfil God's mission in my life. But I also know that there are many other things in this world that compete for being at the centre of my life. I know that there are times when I even forget about the Holy Spirit with me and in me. There are times when the mission of God seems too hard or too demanding or too uncomfortable, or I simply want to switch off and focus on me! I have a long way to go and, much as I love you, so do you.
To borrow some phraseology from Paul's wonderful chapter on love, found in 1 Cor 13, 'now we see in part' but there is much more to come as we surrender our lives to God's will and choose to go his way, as we step more fully into our God-given identity.
The words from Paul to the Philippian church speak of confidence, but it is not a confidence in his own efforts or in the efforts of the believers he write to. His confidence is in God, and God alone. He knows that if God begins something he will complete it and there is nothing that can stand in his way. And God has begun a good work in us, just as he did to those believers 2000yrs ago. He has begun a good work in us and he will carry it on to completion.
I love being part of Liberty Church (I think I might have said that a few times!) even though I know that we are far from perfect, even though we make mistakes, sometimes act out of our own self-interest, cause hurt to one another, wrestle with the temptations of this world. I love this church because I see God at work and I have a hope that God is bringing and will bring his kingdom near in our lives and through our lives as we surrender our will to his. I have a hope that God is, day by day, forming us into the kind of community that we believe he has called us to be.
Lots of love
Jon
Jon Farrimond, 01/02/2026