Dear friends
Last week it was great to see many of our groups starting again although I know some have continued over Christmas. The Christmas decorations have been taken down, thanks to all who helped with this, and under all the glitter we realise we have a fantastic resource in our building, a building that has people in most days. We know that the church is the people not the building, but we thank God for the building He has given us, and we pray that God will keep guiding us, as He is, on how we use it and look after it. It’s a real blessing! Prayer and practical go hand in hand so if you feel you want to pray in the spaces or do something to help the fabric then that would be great. We recognise that some areas are looking a bit tired after the last few years, and it’s maintained by a small group of people so I’m looking at some days and some exciting ways in which we can get involved. Some of you have given money to help with this specifically so thanks in advance. Conversations are ongoing with those who help on a regular basis too.
Last week Karen Ross, Rachel Beadle and I attended the Fresh Streams Baptist leadership conference in Derbyshire for three days. We will fill you in on some of this tomorrow. Thanks for your support.
We will be continuing our theme of Epiphany moments over the next few weeks in our Sunday gatherings. Tomorrow it’s a communion service with linked activities around the story of Jesus baptism in Matthew 3. We’ll look at how this revealed more about who Jesus is and what that says to us today. Next week there will be an opportunity for those who want to, to share some of our own epiphany moments as we look at John 1: 43-51 where Nathanial and Philip have an epiphany moment of their own! It can be a big moment or a small moment of realisation, but it may just help someone else. On the 29th January we’ll ponder on the story in Luke 2:25-40, Simeon’s epiphany moment, then at café church on the 5th February we’ll look at Luke 4:14-21 when there is an epiphany moment in the Synagogue.
Thankyou for my birthday greetings!
In Christ
Shelley