Taxing Times

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during October 2025]

“A tax is the best means of defence”. So said Frank Wiesel, the political adviser to the right honourable Jim Hacker, the Minister for Administrative Affairs in the TV series ‘Yes, Minister’.

We live at a time when taxes and tariffs figure as prominently in our daily news reports as they do in our everyday transactions. Indeed, the idiom that ‘the only two certainties in life are death and taxes’ is often quoted when the topic comes up in conversation. The phrase itself is usually attributed to US statesman Benjamin Franklin in 1789 but the sentiment had several earlier incarnations.
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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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The Energy of Synergy

[This reflection by Dennis Ginter was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 05/Oct/2025]

Dazz recently spoke to us about the Holy Habit of living the Christian life with others. On the screen we saw the words “Being Team Mates For Jesus”. What he said is very important! We weren’t designed for solitary living – God saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone.
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Contributor: Dennis Ginter
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In The Tenth Month

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during September 2025]

It happened in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it.
Jeremiah 52 v4 [NIVUK]

Have you ever wondered why our tenth month is called October when ‘octo’ is a prefix that is usually associated with the number eight? A similar question could be asked about Septem(7)ber, Novem(9)ber and Decem(10)ber.
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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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How Can We Love Our Enemies?

[This reflection by Helen Ruffhead was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 28/Sep/2025]

When studying the Sermon on the Mount, as we have been doing on ‘Connect in Faith’, it is all too easy to think: “These are lovely ideas but just won’t work in the real world”. Yet Jesus lived in a time much grimmer than our own but managed to put them into practice.
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Contributor: Helen Ruffhead
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What’s Your Excuse?

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during September 2025]

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29 v11 [NIV]

Last week’s reflection included mention of procrastination and also our inability to foretell what the future may bring. They are perhaps two of the principal reasons why our plans are upset and things do not turn out as we expect.
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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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From Tiny Acorns Mighty Oaks Grow

[This reflection by Michael Goble was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 21/Sep/2025]

We love our large oak tree in the garden but at this time of year it begins shedding many acorns which we have to rake up from the lawn. Fortunately the falling leaves come a couple of months later. It is an amazing part of God’s creation that this large tree came from one acorn. I thought of this when we heard about the experiences of our young people with their stay at the Mid Wessex Camp, and the encouragement this gives them to grow in their Christian faith and to do things for Jesus.
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Contributor: Michael Goble
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